


Book of the Creed

by AralezInSpace



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types, Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Assassin Mentor!Agni, Assassin shenanigans, Assassin!Nina, Assassin!Soma, Assassin's Creed/Kuroshitsuji crossover, Assassination, Crossover, Earl!Ciel, Intrigue, Mystery, Other, Rating May Change, Tags Are Hard, Templar!Lau, demon!Sebastian, tags to be updated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 27,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25477069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AralezInSpace/pseuds/AralezInSpace
Summary: Mysterious murders are once again plaguing London. Word of a coup has reached the Earl Phantomhive's ears, a secret organization making a bold move into his territory. Ciel and Sebastian are about to be drawn into a war that has been waged in the shadows for centuries, between two groups not many believe exist."And to what spoils go the victor?""World domination."
Comments: 10
Kudos: 13





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fanfiction I've written with the intent to share in a really long time. Niche audience not withstanding, I really enjoyed writing it in between watching Black Butler and playing Assassin's Creed Syndicate, and watching those two worlds come together. 
> 
> AC and Kuro canon have been researched and honored to the best of my ability; freedoms may be taken in later chapters xD 
> 
> Many many thanks to [ChromeHoplite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChromeHoplite) and [GrieverBitMyFinger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrieverBitMyFinger/pseuds/GrieverBitMyFinger) for beta-ing. Enjoy!

London was a pungent mess in more ways than one. The odors of thousands of people combined with animals, food, and the Thames created a cloying miasma, even without the humid threat of rain hanging heavily in the air. Add the smell of a fresh corpse, and it would turn even the strongest stomach. 

But not that of Ciel Phantomhive.  
  
Forcing bile back down, he observed the body with the same haughty contempt he bestowed on most people. It seemed ordinary, as far as murders were concerned, even if the killing blow wasn’t exactly what he’d call clean. So why was he out here wasting his time, breathing in this poisonous air?  
“What’s so special about this one?” the lord asked the inspector at his side, holding out a hand for the case notes. The inspector, Abberline, started when he heard Ciel’s voice.  
“Ciel! I mean- Lord Phantomhive! What are you doing here? Your role as Guard Dog is well known, but this is no place for you!”  
“I’m starting to see that,” he responded testily. “Coming to town was a waste of time. Come, Sebastian.”   
The butler, who had been crouched next to the body, instantly perked up at his master’s voice. “Yes, my lord. Forgive me, but this case may be worthy of your attention after all.” He rose and returned to the earl, holding out a ring. It was made of a rich black stone, cold to the touch despite having been in the sun. In place of a crest, was a red cross, similar to those the knights of the Crusade bore centuries ago.  
“This was left in the wound, and I think not by accident. It is the crest of the Knights Templar; not to mention, the material is one that you would be quite unfamiliar with.”   
Ciel raised an eyebrow, about to question his butler further, when Abberline interjected, “Templars? Who are they?”  
“Warriors who fought for Christianity during the Crusades in the Middle Ages,” Ciel responded, more ire working its way into his tone. His patience was wearing thin. “Honestly, pick up a history book now and again.” Abberline was still confused. He sputtered, “But what is their crest doing HERE?” The earl held his handkerchief over his nose as his brow furrowed in thought. The Crusades were centuries ago, what is a templar cross doing here and now?  
“Master,” Sebastian began, “Let us return to the manor, there is no more the body can offer us, and the air is positively foul.”  
“Agreed.” Ciel turned to leave and pocketed the ring, ignoring Abberline’s protests that it was evidence in a murder case. “I could do with a cup of tea, and possibly a bath. Come, Sebastian.”  
“Of course, my lord.”

~~~~~

“You were sloppy,” Lau admonished softly, a patronizing smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. He chuckled inwardly at the woman’s obstinate stance; he knew exactly what kind of danger he was flirting with, and yet couldn’t help poking this particular bear.   
Briar Elmstone frowned, she’d almost prefer if he screamed. She had never liked people who were calm when they were angry, even though she was one of them. The young woman crossed her arms defiantly and flipped her midnight braid over her shoulder. Mismatched eyes of emerald and liquid gold sparkled through the opium haze. “What more would you have me do? I killed him and left the ring for the dog to find, not that he’ll know what it means.” The last bit was muttered to herself.  
Lau’s mouth stretched into a disingenuous smile. “And so you did. But the wound, my dear…” His tone became patronizing. “Not your signature clean kill, was it, Ran Mao?” The woman on his lap shook her head, the bells in her hair jingling softly like distant wind chimes.  
“Now that the dog has run off with the ring, our message will not be received by the right people. Such a shame.”  
“How was I supposed to know he’d get there first?” Briar protested. “It was a long shot to get that far this early, and you know it. Besides…” For a split second, so fast that Lau almost doubted what he had seen, her eyes flashed a bright red, the red of freshly spilled blood. “You owe me. I had set up everything the way you asked and completed the kill. I want my reward.”  
Lau sighed dramatically, but reached into a bowl at his side and withdrew three glass cubes, each containing a sample of blood. He tossed them to Briar, who caught them with contemptuous ease and tucked them into a pouch at her waist. “Pleasure,” she snapped, eager to get out of this particular den of sin. “I’ll await other targets. The dog, is he definitely…?”   
Lau gave a casual shrug. “I’m not sure yet. Even if he is not…” His voice hardened from his usual airy tone. “The little lord will not see the end of this.”

~~~~~

Later that night, two hooded figures snuck past the police barriers that surrounded the corpse. Carefully, almost reverently, one lifted the cloth covering the corpse’s face.  
“It’s him,” he murmured, replacing the cloth with trembling hands. “I knew it was too early to send Midford out on his own.”  
“Agni, you can’t be so hard on yourself.”  
“Soma, look.” Agni pulled the cloth back again, revealing the wound. It was gaping and ugly, crusted with black blood. A dictionary definition of overkill. “He wasn’t just killed, he was brutally murdered. By someone skilled and vicious.”   
Soma sighed and replaced the cloth. “Mentor, we may be in over our heads with this one.” Agni punched the ground and stood. “Possibly,” he choked softly. “But I won’t call on the dog unless we have no other choice.” He sighed, as if his breath and remorse alone could heal the fatal wounds.  
“Come, let us return to the house and plan our next step from there.”

~~~~~

Back at the estate, Ciel was just sitting down to a cup of Earl Grey and chocolate biscuits when Sebastian knocked on the door and showed himself in, carrying a silver tray bearing an envelope.  
“A letter has arrived for you, sir. And I’m afraid it’s urgent.”   
Ciel sighed and lowered his teacup, holding out his hand. Sebastian placed the letter in his palm. Without looking at it, Ciel gave a soft “Hmph,” as he tossed it into the wastebasket next to his desk.  
“Master,” the butler began, “You may want to actually read this one. It’s from Her Majesty.” Ciel frowned and almost rolled his eyes. “Fine.” Sebastian gave him a knowing smile as he retrieved the letter from the basket and handed it to Ciel. The lord tore open the envelope and scanned the message, his frown growing more pronounced the more he read.  
“Well, master?” A smile spread across Sebastian’s face as he tucked the platter under his arm. “Has Her Majesty asked you to play fetch?”   
Ciel’s frown deepened, and he scrunched up the letter in his hand. “Apparently, someone thinks they can challenge me for England’s Underworld, and Her Majesty wants them taken care of. This person or group is also claiming responsibility for the last murder we looked into.”  
“Fascinating,” Sebastian replied, looking more bored than intrigued. “And how do you plan to respond to this challenge?”   
The earl took a sip of his tea, fixing the butler with a hard stare. “Her Majesty recommended we get in touch with Miss Nina Hopkins, only not about clothes. She said Miss Hopkins and her associates would be able to give us the information we need, so long as we show them the ring we found.”  
“I shall send a note to Miss Hopkins at once,” Sebastian replied with a slight bow, the mocking smile still on his face.  
“Good. The Queen has also included a letter of introduction to give to these associates when we meet with them. Hopefully, this isn’t a waste of my time. Crushing a coup is tedious, but must be done as swiftly as possible.”  
“Of course, my lord.”

~~~~~

A few days later, they were once again walking the streets of London, breathing in the putrid spring air. It had rained recently, but rather than washing away the miasma, the smell was somehow worse. It was as if someone had taken all the litter from the Thames and let it bake in the sun for a week. As they approached Nina’s tailor shop, Ciel murmured over his shoulder, “I do hope you specified that we weren’t coming to discuss clothes.”  
“Of course, sir,” Sebastian replied with a taunting, mischievous smile. “However, you know as well as I that she is a force to be reckoned with when inspiration strikes.”   
Ciel frowned; the demon had a point. “You’re right. Either way, I want to get this over with as quickly as possible. The stench is giving me a headache.”  
Sebastian knocked on the door and held it open for his master. Ciel had not set two feet into the shop when he heard a shrill call of, “LORD PHANTOMHIVE!”  
Ciel was swept away in a rush of bright auburn hair and several skirts, twirled about the shop as Nina waxed poetic about the new ideas she had, and not so poetic about how “Dear Ciel was looking thin, especially after this last winter.”  
When the earl was finally free of her grasp, he straightened his clothes before speaking. “Hello, Miss Hopkins. Unfortunately, we’re not here to discuss tailoring. Rather, I’m interested in your other profession.”   
Nina sighed and put her hands on her hips. “But, my lord, Easter is coming soon. It’s never too early to start considering your outfit!” She whipped a tape measure out from a pocket of her skirt, revealing the tight pants and garters she wore under it. “Pastel colors are no longer in fashion, you need something bright and eye catching to emphasize the youth and fertility of spring!” That manic glint was in her eye, the one she had whenever she was tailoring for Ciel.  
Sebastian placed a hand on her shoulder, “Miss Nina, I am afraid it is rather urgent that we discuss this other business. Rest assured, we shall make an appointment for you to come to the manor to update the master’s wardrobe.” Sebastian handed her the letter of introduction from the queen, which seemed to at least shift her curiosity and energy from clothes to this urgent business. She quickly read the letter, her eyes darting back and forth between the paper and Ciel.  
The tailor seemed to deflate, sadly stuffing the tape measure and letter in her back pocket. “This is one of those very rare occasions where you are right, butler hardhead. Come this way.” With an airy wave of her hand, she beckoned them to follow her to her workshop in the back. However, they did not stay in the rather cluttered room surrounded by various fabrics, mannequins, and a large crafting table. Instead, Nina pulled a book out of the large shelf on the south wall, and it swung open like a door. With quick, slightly confused glances to each other, Ciel and Sebastian followed her down the set of stairs the secret door had revealed, descending into what felt like a dank and musty basement. Water dripped onto the cobblestones beneath their feet, and the gloomy passage had just enough torchlight for them to see by.  
At the end of the passage was a large room, not unlike Ciel’s study. This room, however, housed more than shelves of books and a desk. There was a large cabinet of weapons next to a bookshelf, an open and spacious wardrobe holding several sets of differently colored robes, a small array of plush chairs with varying patterns and degrees of wear to sit in, warm red walls and carpet, and a fire cheerfully crackling in the fireplace. The desk dominated the room, carved from rich, dark wood. On its surface laid a large map of London, along with several folders containing what appeared to be notes and sketches. Two men were hunched over the desk, talking in low tones.  
“You’ll never guess who’s come to visit,” Nina announced dramatically as she showed Ciel and Sebastian into the room. “The puppy has finally come to play with us!” Rather than looking pleased, the two men appeared rather confused at first, then irritated. Both had dark skin and sharp eyes, but one seemed to be many years older, as evidenced by his silver hair and the slight lines around his eyes. The other had hair of the deepest violet, and the barest hint of a beard coming in.  
“Oops,” Nina giggled, bashfully covering her mouth with her hand. “I should probably introduce you all.” She pulled the letter out of her pocket with a flourish and handed it to the older man. “May I present,” she began dramatically, “the right honorable Lord Ciel, Earl of Phantomhive, and his butler, Sebastian Michaelis. These two are my associates,” she said with a gesture to the two men. “Agni,” the elder nodded briefly, “And Soma.” The younger smiled cheerfully and waved at their guests.  
As Agni read the letter from the queen, Ciel spoke. “I was told you three could be of some assistance. War is brewing in the Underworld, and Her Majesty pointed me towards you. So, just who are you people and what do you know?” His last phrase wasn’t a question, it was a demand.   
Agni sighed and placed the letter on the desk, sinking into a chair as he ran a bandaged hand through his silver tresses. “Where to begin…” he murmured, trying to decide how much they needed to know to accomplish this business of theirs.  
Stepping up to the desk, standing across from Soma, Ciel continued, “We were also told to show you this.” He withdrew the Templar ring from his pocket and placed it atop the map of London. The reaction, as expected, was instantaneous. Nina, Agni, and Soma couldn’t tear their gazes away from the crest, never mind the few bits of dried blood left from the corpse.  
“So, they made their move. And Midford…”  
“Midford,” Ciel interrupted, “Is that the man who was murdered around 14 days ago?”  
“Yes,” Soma replied, his tone somber as his gaze fell to the carpet, almost in shame. “He was one of us, a new recruit. He had just joined the brotherhood in his own right…”  
“I think it best you tell us just who we’re dealing with, and what they want with my young master.” Sebastian’s words were a suggestion, but with the edge of a demand.   
Ciel sat himself in the plush chair opposite Agni, trying not to be swallowed up by it. Crossing his legs, he said, “Start at the beginning: who you are, who is daring to dispose of me, and why you look at that ring as if it were something offensive.”  
Agni leaned forward in his chair and rubbed his temples, trying to gather his thoughts. “The beginning,” he murmured, almost whispered, “was over five hundred years ago. The Templar Knights fought for England in the Crusades, this you know. But their reach and ambition extended far beyond the Holy Land. And that was when my brotherhood rose and came together to oppose them.”  
“Your brotherhood?” Ciel asked, somewhat skeptical.  
“Yes. The Assassins,” Agni sighed before continuing. “After the Crusades, both the Templars and Assassins splintered apart and went deep underground. But while the Assassins were struggling to survive, the Templars were putting plans into motion and hunting down Assassins one by one.”   
Nina picked up the story when Agni paused for breath. “It wasn’t until the Italian Renaissance that we began to fight back. Ezio Auditore reunited the brotherhood, and travelled the world establishing Assassin dens for most of his life. Our battle with the Templars continues to this day, hidden in the shadows.”  
“Let’s say I believe your story, and that recent events are part of a long struggle between Assassins and Templars. What’s it all for? What spoils go to the victor?”  
“World domination.”   
Ciel almost snorted at the response, but Soma’s despairing, dread-filled tone, along with his slight shiver, stopped the sound. He really was serious.  
“That’s right,” Agni continued. “The Templars wish to create a world of order, with themselves at the head, and all freedom and individuality stripped away. And while freedom is chaotic and messy, it is better than submission. That is what we Assassins do, safeguard the freedom of humanity.”  
Ciel was speechless. “You’re all serious, aren’t you?”   
Sebastian chuckled softly and said, “Come now, master. After some of the things you’ve seen, this is hardly the most outlandish story you’ve heard.”   
Ciel frowned at him before turning to the tailor. “And Miss Hopkins, are you an Assassin as well?”  
“I don’t do much field work. My job is more focused on designing practical and dramatic clothes for the Brotherhood.” She flipped her ponytail over her shoulder and pushed her spectacles up the bridge of her nose. “Good help is so hard to come by!”  
“Lord Phantomhive,” Agni began carefully, “We know you are the guard dog for England’s Underworld. We both work in the shadows for the good of all. The Templars are trying to reach into your domain. If they establish a hold in England’s underworld, they would not be far from gaining a hold in England’s government, which must be prevented.”  
“Whosoever controls England, controls the world,” Ciel responded wryly. “We appear to share a similar goal, therefore it would make sense for us to aid one another.”   
He stood and donned his top hat. “Sebastian, it is time for us to leave and plan our next move.” Ciel took the ring off of the desk and replaced it with a card bearing his address. “Contact me at the estate if there are any developments. Come, Sebastian.” With a slight bow, Sebastian followed his master out of the room and back through the passage to Nina’s shop.  
Agni, Soma, and Nina watched the two of them leave, deep in thought. “Do you think he’ll join us, Mentor?” Soma asked softly.  
“I doubt it,” Agni murmured, frowning at the chair Ciel had occupied. “While he may work with us toward a similar goal, I do not believe he could be one of us.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How many of you are there?” Ciel suddenly questioned, taking a sip of his tea. An impertinent, impish smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Just how far does your reach extend?” Agni released a slow breath. It would have been a sigh, if not for the frustration and anger trying to force their way from his chest.
> 
> “Not far enough.”

A few short weeks after meeting Nina’s associates, Ciel was once again called to London, this time by Agni. His letter had described another murdered Assassin, this one more brutal than the last. So once again, Ciel and Sebastian climbed into the carriage and made the now tedious journey into London. The only saving grace was that the air was less foul, on account of the rain that came down in buckets outside the windows of Nina’s shop.

In the Assassin’s underground study, the three Assassins, with the help of Ciel, poured over the notes and photographs that were spread over the desk. “Unfortunately, we won’t be able to study the body,” Soma informed them as Sebastian served them each a strong cup of Earl Grey, “The police moved him to the morgue before the rain started. I’m afraid the crime scene won’t be of any use to us either.” There were dark circles under his eyes as well as Agni’s, and a thick shadow of stubble on their chins. It was clear the two men had spent many nights awake, either patrolling the shadows of the city or making plans in the study.

The newly dead Assassin was another that Soma knew; Violet. According to Nina, the young man had just returned from a year in France and had only been training for a few months. She picked up a recent photograph from the crime scene and peered at it over her spectacles. “Poor boy didn’t stand a chance,” she murmured, the words catching in her throat. “It’s just like after the Crusades, they’re picking us off one at a time.” She threw the photo back on the desk and turned her gaze to her teacup, trying to hide her tears. Even in black and white, it was impossible not to notice just how brutal the murder had been. Violet had been ripped open and flung onto the street like a broken toy. Blood pooled around him, so much of it that it was difficult to tell where his dark hair ended and the gore began. It was as if Jack the Ripper had struck again.

“How many of you are there?” Ciel suddenly questioned, taking a sip of his tea. An impertinent, impish smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Just how far does your reach extend?” Agni released a slow breath. It would have been a sigh, if not for the frustration and anger trying to force their way from his chest.

“Not far enough,” he finally grit out. “London used to have many dens. Many of the street gangs were populated with Assassins, or at least people sympathetic to our cause. But that was years ago, back when Jacob and Evie Frye were the two best we had. But they are retired now, and we’re on our own. The Templars have been steadily regaining influence over the years, taking over our dens. We have been trying to reclaim them and recruit new Assassins, but…” His eyes drifted to the photos of Violet’s mutilated body and tears began to drip down his cheeks. “They’re killing our students faster than we can teach them.” There was no mistaking the hopelessness and despair in his voice.

Sebastian approached the desk with a soft “May I?,” and began methodically examining the photos. His brow furrowed in thought as wine colored eyes took in every detail of the boy’s body and the surrounding area. “Master,” he began in a murmur, “look at this.” He brought Ciel’s attention to a close-up shot of the wound, a great gaping hole where Violet’s intestines should have been. Blood had pooled underneath him, running down the stones of the street.

“This wound here, they’re quite small, but if you look closely, these parts on the edges resemble claw marks.” He lowered his voice so that only Ciel could hear him. “Almost inhuman. And the brutality of the kill is definitely within a demon’s capacity.”

Ciel’s frown grew more pronounced; this would be much harder if they had to contend with another demon, or worse, a reaper. Agni observed the photo as well, holding it very close to his face. “The butler is correct. But it is hard to tell from the photo if they contributed to his death or were made by a scavenging animal.”

“They’re getting closer,” Nina said ominously, placing her teacup on the desk. “It’s only a matter of time before they find our little hideout and exterminate us like rats.”

“Then we’ll just have to find their nest first,” Ciel said with an insolent smile, pushing aside the photos and notes to reveal the map of London. “You must have some idea where their base of operations is.” The three Assassins frowned, studying the map and wracking their brains for possibilities.

“Our other main obstacle,” Soma began as he ran a hand through his violet hair, “is that we do not know their power structure. Their leaders are all hidden. We have clues and guesses, but nothing to confirm who they are. They elude us like snakes.”

“What about here?” Nina asked, touching a spot on the map marked with a small house.

“The Kenway mansion?” Agni’s tone was skeptical. “They haven’t used it in years, not since Starrick and his men occupied it. I believe the property is now possessed by the Crown for preservation.”

“Who’s Kenway?” Ciel demanded. “The name sounds vaguely familiar.”

“Edward Kenway,” Soma replied with an excited smile; clearly this man was of great interest to him. “Pirate and Assassin in the early 1700’s. His son Haytham eventually became the head of the Templar order, and his grandson Connor helped the Americans win their revolution. This mansion was where Edward lived while raising his children after he retired from the Brotherhood. The Templars used it as a stronghold until Starrick was deposed, but since no one has laid claim to it, it would make sense that they’ve steadily been using it again.”

“It could be worth looking into,” Ciel murmured into his teacup. “We should also look into known hideouts in the criminal underworld.” First on his mental list was Lau. While the earl didn’t trust the opium trader as far as he could throw him, Lau’s intelligence about criminal activities was rarely wrong. The Undertaker was also a potential source of information, if he could be persuaded to stop laughing every now and then.

“Sebastian and I will search the Kenway mansion, under pretext of an errand for the Queen. A noble inspecting property of the Crown would hardly raise suspicion.”

“And what if there are Templars?” Nina shot at the earl, hands on her hips, her eyes hard but not without care. “I know you are accustomed to adversity, Ciel, but you do not have the weapons or skills to defend yourself, let alone defeat a group of Templars!”

“Sebastian will be with me,” the earl assured her with a satisfied, contemptuous smile into his teacup. “While he is at my side I am perfectly safe, even from Templars. Isn’t that right, Sebastian?”

The butler returned his smile with a slight bow, a hand over where his heart would be if he had one. “That is correct, young master. I will protect you with my life if necessary.” Nina’s stance and gaze softened; it was clear that Ciel wouldn’t be dissuaded. “Very well. But I want you to take one of these.” She glanced at Agni, who nodded as if giving her permission. Striding quickly to the wardrobe, she flung the doors open, and rummaged around a box at the bottom for a moment before emerging with a leather bracer, similar to the one Ciel used for archery practice. It was one of the few physical activities he was actually good at, his asthma having barred him from most others. With a bow adapted to his small frame, he could hit an apple off someone’s head at 30 paces.

Nina placed the bracer on his left forearm, adjusting the straps. “This is the Assassin’s chief weapon,” she explained, almost with reverence, “the hidden blade.” She took a few steps back from him and demonstrated with her own weapon: with a small motion of her wrist, a blade sprang out of the underside of the bracer with hardly any noise, and another flick of her wrist retracted it.

Ciel mimicked her movements, starting slightly when the blade shot out like a striking snake. “Keep this on you at all times,” she warned him. “I wouldn’t put it past the Templars to take a shot at you in the open." Ciel nodded, his single blue eye piercing the leather as he analyzed the weapon, committing how it worked to memory.

Soma’s lip trembled but he contained himself. The earl didn’t need to know the blade he now wore had been Midford’s. He could only hope the earl met a kinder end than his fallen brother. But if Ciel’s eyes were any indication, this child had already surmounted a great deal of hardship. Just what are you made of, Ciel Phantomhive?, he thought to himself, watching the retreating forms of the earl and his butler.

~~~~~

Briar Elmstone was used to the dark. She had made it her home, in this lifetime at least. To anyone passing on the street, her East End apartment was run down, unassuming, possibly abandoned. But that suited her just fine; no one bothered her that way.

Briar sighed as she stepped through the door and locked it behind her. An old human habit. Not bothering with the lights she didn’t need to see, she discarded her weapons where she could easily reach them: a short sword, an 8-round revolver, and 3 knives that could be thrown or used hand to hand. Rolling her shoulders, she crossed the single room to her wash basin and mirror. The looking glass was cracked and dusty, the reflection staring back looking haggard and grimy. Shadows began to spread around the already dark room, filling it with a black as deep as the void of space. It felt like a satisfying stretch, to not have her entire essence confined to a human’s form--a small human at that. As always, her green and gold eyes sparkled through the gloom, this time with a small ring of red around her pupils. She was alone, the human facade didn’t have to be perfect. The eyes that stared back at her had seen so much. Too much. Lifetimes upon lifetimes. Memories that weren’t quite hers, and far too many that were. That’s what it means to be a Sage, she thought wryly to herself.

Sage. How could one word possibly encompass all that she is and was? Answer, it couldn’t. Briar knew what it meant to be just a Sage, to be marked and hunted from birth by the Assassins and Templars, and working to free the ancient being known as Juno. But Juno could rot in hell for all she cared. But I know she’s not there, came the second mocking thought. Briar knew she would never forget the day. After being ruthlessly hunted for her entire childhood, she was finally tracked down and killed.She didn’t know or care whether it was the Assassins or Templars. The rest was a bit hazy; the last she remembered was a fatal blow, blackness, fire, then pain, and light as she once again opened her eyes.

It would take several years to come to terms with what she now was: a demon, cursed to feed on the souls of mortals. A demon and a sage. Demons were immortal, therefore, this particular sage’s soul wouldn’t be reborn until someone forcibly took her life, which was highly unlikely. For almost two hundred years, Briar had traveled and learned all she could about fighting and war, vowing to never be as helpless as she had been on the day they had finally caught her.

Those wanderings had led her to England, to Lau. While he primarily traded in opium, he was beginning to expand into arms dealing, and found the perfect customer in the Templar Order. They needed a foothold in England’s underworld to further their plans, and Lau was more than willing to provide them with weapons and safe-houses, under the condition he was allowed to continue his business once they had achieved their goal.

“Once this is over,” she softly assured her reflection, “I’ll be able to rest.” Tearing her gaze away from the mirror, she padded to the opposite corner of the room where a small chest resided in the corner. Carefully, she opened the lid and withdrew the three glass cubes, that Lau had given her earlier, from the pouch at her waist. Around a dozen similar cubes were in the chest, the samples of blood swirling within their glass confines. She placed her newest additions with their companions and gently closed the lid, remarking that she would need to be careful with her supply. But, she had completed her mission, whether it was to Lau’s specific preferences or not, and that deserved a reward. Her stomach rumbled in agreement. She opened the chest again and withdrew two of the vials, before bringing them to the rickety table, the only surface in the room. She removed one of her gloves and her midnight nails sharpened into claws. Carefully, precisely, she used the tip of one claw to cut open the glass cubes and expose the blood inside before tipping the contents down her throat.

The blood was stale; who knew how long these cubes had been sitting in Lau’s possession. But the bits of soul they still carried gave her a much needed boost of energy, renewing her resolve. It had been decades since Briar had last consumed a full human soul, and the hunger was getting to her. Hunger she was perfectly content to live with; it would only make her easier to kill. But Lau had put an end to that. He needed a sharp, precise weapon of death, not one that was sloppy and likely to break.

He had made a contract with her, the seal burning itself into the back of her hand and the back of his neck. Absently she scratched at the five pointed star that appeared to be styled from thorny vines. She would help him aid the Templars in their coup, and in the end, she could devour his soul.

But that day was still in the distant future. And even though his soul would sate her hunger, Briar knew the respite would be temporary, just a brief rest before she was once again hunted and tasked with freeing the being who had locked her in this cycle in the first place. The empty glass cubes ended up smashed on the floor, joining the remains of dozens of other such cubes that littered her floor like snow.

The moon had risen high, but Briar didn’t need sleep. There were much better things to do with the night than take rest that wouldn’t help in any way. She replaced her gloves and gathered up her weapons, taking a deep breath to make sure the human guise was fully in place before stepping out into the night.

She moved as if she was one with the wind, barely disturbing the humid air she waded through, making her way down the grimy stone street. Human life bustled around her, the scent of all their souls sticking in her nostrils like a meal that had just gone sour. As of the moment, she had one more target for Lau, this time one of his men on the inside. Or a man who had been on the inside, but wanted to be out. Whatever his reasons, he had decided that the life of smuggling was no longer for him and wanted to go straight, but he knew too much about what Lau was currently up to, and needed to be eliminated. Easy as pie.

Lau had informed her where this target could be found, and she had already planned where she would bring him to complete the deed. Quiet as a shadow, she scaled the walls of the boarding house he called home, and phased her form through the wall like a ghost. She could have just transported herself instantaneously into his room, but where was the fun in that? It was more of a challenge if she limited the use of her demonic abilities. Booted feet barely making a sound on the wooden floorboards, she crept down the hall to where the man was sleeping. Even her trousers, shirt, and bodice had ceased to rustle with her movements. The boarding house was filled with other down and almost-out citizens of London who stayed sound asleep, unaware that death was stalking their halls.

Arthur Dowling’s room was at the end of the hall, a corner room. Briar used a shadow to pick the lock and soundlessly open the door. He was fast asleep, arms flung above his head, a bit of spit leaking out of his mouth, snoring loudly. Hell, humans can be so disgusting, she thought to herself with scorn, wondering how such pathetic creatures could house the souls she needed to survive. With a sigh and a murmured “Let’s get this over with,” the demon crept over to his bed and quickly placed a clawed hand over his mouth, her eyes flashing red as Arthur started awake.

“Don’t make a sound,” she growled in a voice that was not of this realm, but rather seemed to be made of the dying echoes of every soul she had ever consumed. The hand over his mouth moved to his throat and squeezed until he was unconscious again, the fear in his eyes before he closed them making her smile in satisfaction. Slinging his form over her shoulder as if he weighed nothing, Briar opened the window and fled into the night, leaving no sign of where Arthur could have possibly gone. That was one of Lau’s rules unless otherwise noted: leave no trace. And Briar followed Lau’s rules to the letter.

Leaping between rooftops, light on her feet like a cat, Briar carried the man to a dark alley a few blocks away from where he had been taken. She had chosen this spot carefully: if the Assassins cared to place all three crime scenes on a map, they’d make a triangle, with absolutely nothing in the middle. Let them think themselves smart and chase their own tails.

Once she had found the alley’s darkest corner, she laid Arthur down on the cobblestones and woke him with a gentle touch. The minute his eyes flickered open, her hand was over his mouth again. “Don’t scream,” she warned him, already bored and eager to be done with it. “This isn’t personal, it’s just business.”

“This is about Lau, isn’t it?” He spoke into her hand, her fingers muffling the words, though she could still understand him. She could hear his heart racing in his chest, see the slight rise and fall of his chest with its rhythm. “Yes,” she replied, “I’m afraid it is. Sorry mate. Again, it’s nothing personal. But I do need to use you to send a message.” Claws ripped their way out of the confines of her gloves and in one quick swipe, faster than his scream, she had ripped out his throat, blood spattering her front as well as the stones beneath them and the surrounding buildings. The kill sent a wave of adrenaline through her, making her shiver with excitement. Taking a deep, calming breath, she smiled and set to work, mutilating the corpse much in the same way she had done the others, tearing open his abdomen and eviscerating him. Instead of ripping open the chest cavity, she used one of her claws to carve her seal into his chest, right over his heart. The five pointed star made of vines and thorns would send a message to the right people, if only they came to collect the corpse. While she couldn’t pinpoint their exact location, Briar knew beyond a doubt that she was not the only demon stalking London, and that whoever it was had been to her last two murder spots.

She could smell the dead man’s soul, and was sorely tempted to swallow it whole, but held herself in check. Lau had expressly forbidden taking the souls of his victims, and to defy his orders went against her aesthetics. With a soft growl, she let the soul go, no doubt to be collected by whichever reaper happened to be nearby.

With her work finished, Briar stood and walked away from the corpse without a second thought. Once again, she would need to report to Lau that his wishes had been carried out to the letter, and await further directions.

~~~~~

Two nights later, Sebastian sped down the road, away from the Phantomhive townhouse, toward London proper. They had received a letter from the Assassins regarding the latest murder, the same signature kill as the last. But this victim wasn’t an Assassin; in fact, he was no one. Just a small time smuggler who worked for Lau. But it was so similar to the others that they wanted to investigate, despite being spread extremely thin trying to root out the Templar leadership. Ciel had been exhausted by the trip, and taken slightly ill from London’s toxins, so leaving him in the caring hands of Bard, Finny, and Mey-Rin, (he daren’t call them competent), he had run off into the night to the morgue.

Abberline was there when he arrived, sitting next to the table which bore the newest corpse, studying several sheets of paper with drooping eyes. Judging by how short the candle was, he had been here quite a while. Sebastian knocked on the door so as not to scare him. “Mr. Abberline? It is quite late, you really should be heading home.”

“You, Lord Phantomhive’s butler!” Abberline almost jumped out of his seat, taken slightly by surprise in his exhausted state. Maybe the butler had a point… “I-I’m fine, just going over these notes for the case.”

“Has the body been identified yet?” Abberline shook his head.

“Not yet. I feel bad for the fellow; no one deserves the fate he got.” About to respond that he could think of quite a few, Sebastian held his tongue and instead approached the table, carefully lifting the cloth covering the corpse, so as not to bloody his gloves. The corpse indeed resembled the previous two in terms of damage done; the abdomen had been ripped open and many of the organs were missing. Rigor mortis had already set in, and the man’s face appeared to be contorted in its final scream. Whoever had done this definitely knew what they were doing: it was brutal, but also clear that death had come fast once the blow was struck. Merciless, cold, and efficient.

But what immediately caught his attention was the chest cavity, or rather that it was still intact. This was quite unlike the previous victims. He bent over the corpse, ignoring Abberline’s misgivings, and carefully observed the deep incisions over where the heart would be, cuts that resembled a star stylized out of vines and thorns. Just to be sure his eyes weren’t deceiving him, he leaned even closer, his nose almost touching the decaying flesh. One inhale told him what his other senses already knew to be true: this was the work of a demon, and a contracted demon at that. His master’s plight had become much more dire. Whoever these Templars were, they had an inhuman accomplice, which changed the game entirely.

“Mr. Sebastian?” Abberline’s shaking voice broke Sebastian from his reverie; the inspector had never addressed him as such. In fact, no one had. “Is everything alright? You look rather pale. Maybe you’re in need of some rest as well.”

“That is hardly the case inspector,” he replied, “although I thank you for the concern. What I am in need of is more information.” With that he briskly turned and left the morgue, his black coat flapping behind him like bat wings. Abberline sighed and sat back down, observing the body once again. It seemed he would never understand Ciel Phantomhive and that butler of his.

~~~~~

Three minutes.

Three indications that something was quite out of place.

Sebastian was never late with his morning tea. Just as Ciel was about to get out of bed and order Bard to take care of it, Sebastian entered his bedroom with a full tea service, the morning paper, and a stack of notes tied neatly together with string.

“Good morning, master,” he greeted with a smile. “I’ve brought your morning tea, the paper, and some notes that I think you’ll find interesting.”

“You’re late,” Ciel grit at him with a scowl, crossing his arms and sitting back in bed.

“Apologies for the delay, my young lord.” Sebastian bowed and served Ciel his tea, handing him the paper and notes. “My errand took a bit longer than anticipated. And we also have a rather large problem.”

“What kind of problem?”

Sebastian spread several of the loose papers on the bed in front of Ciel. One of them was a small painting of a woman’s face; Ciel could see every detail of her olive complexion, thick midnight hair, full lips, and mismatched eyes of green and gold. The lord frowned at his butler. “I don’t see what’s so special about her, aside from her eyes.”

“My lord, she is a demon. And what’s more, a demon contracted to a human.”

Ciel’s good eye widened; that was news he hadn’t been expecting. “Are you absolutely certain?”

“Beyond a doubt, my lord. It was quite difficult gathering any information about her. It appears she has been working for the Templars, and was responsible for the two murdered Assassins, along with the unknown man a few days ago. I was able to track down some of Mr. Lau’s informants and speak with them; apparently, she goes by the name of Briar Elmstone. She’s made quite the stir in London’s underworld. Even those who have no quarrel with Lau or the Templars are afraid to be her next target.”

Ciel picked up the portrait and studied it intently. “Then it’s safe to assume she has formed a contract with Lau, how pathetic of him. We need to inform the Assassins. I highly doubt they’ll believe she’s a demon, but her deadliness cannot be understated.” He placed the portrait back on the bed, face down, unable to look at her eyes any longer. They sent a shiver down his spine; even just a painting of them had Ciel’s nerves stretched.

“I have already informed the Assassins, my lord, and took advantage of their library as well.” He spread some more notes before the earl. “She is also what they refer to as a Sage, a reincarnated soul with connections to a civilization that came before yours. She is marked as such by her eyes, one green and one gold.” Ciel scoffed.

“You’re joking, right? Modern science has thoroughly shown that we are the only intelligent beings to inhabit the earth.”

“With respect, my lord,” Sebastian replied with a smile, covering a laugh, “your science is leagues behind. I happen to have some knowledge of these beings myself. Not much, but enough to help us. They called themselves the Isu. The Assassins and Templars know them as The Ones Who Came Before. It was they that made the ring we found, although the Templar crest was added centuries later.”

“A reincarnated soul, you say…” Ciel trailed off, melancholy settling comfortably on his face. He didn’t know whether to be jealous of her, or pity her. His soul was already spoken for, he couldn’t imagine it coming back after this particular lifetime. “You were right,” he finally continued, smiling slightly in spite of himself. “This is rather interesting. I’m curious as to how a reincarnated soul can also be an immortal demon.” He took a sip of tea. “But I suppose it’s not relevant how she became what she is, only that she is a new and powerful piece to contend with.”

“Indeed, my lord.” Without another word, Sebastian set about his task of dressing Ciel for the day, skilled fingers making quick work of putting on his shirt, short trousers, jacket, ribbon tie, socks, garters, and heeled shoes. He took a little more time tying his eyepatch, taking care not to catch any slate hair in the knot.

Once Ciel had sat down to breakfast, still looking over Sebastian’s notes, the butler leaned in to speak in his ear. “Master, we really should plan our next move. I fear time is growing short.”

“Agreed.” Ciel daintily cut into his omelet. “We still need to investigate the Kenway mansion, preferably before our adversary gets too comfortable there. If all goes well, the Assassins will be able to use it to their advantage.”

“Yes lord, I shall make the preparations at once.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter may get some small edits after betas, I couldn't wait to post this and share the next part of the story with you all. The drawing is Briar's seal drawn by myself. I'm no artist at all but I'm really pleased with how it turned out. As always many thanks and endless love to Chrome and Griever for beta-ing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They had been looking for but a few more seconds before the hairs on the back of Sebastian’s neck stood up. “Master, behind me!” Grabbing the back of his overcoat, Sebastian yanked Ciel behind him and leaped back several feet. A silver knife sliced through the space the earl’s head had occupied but moments ago, burying itself in the wall. This wasn’t a knife like Sebastian’s that had a secondary job at Ciel’s table; it was a knife whose only purpose was to kill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behold chapter 3! Things are really starting to heat up, I really hope you enjoy it. This may end up being 6 or 7 chapters instead of 5, depending on how much detail I go into because I have no self control xD As always many thanks and endless love to [Griever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrieverBitMyFinger/pseuds/GrieverBitMyFinger) for beta-ing. Enjoy, and remember: nothing is true, everything is permitted.

Ciel and Sebastian weren’t sure what to expect at the Kenway mansion, so they prepared for the worst; Ciel was armed with the hidden blade from Nina and his small revolver, and every one of Sebastian’s coat pockets were lined with forks and knives, honed to lethal sharpness. The miasma of London had lifted somewhat with the last storm; the air wasn’t what one would call fresh, but it was certainly much better than it had been recently. It took hours rather than minutes for the nausea to set in. 

When they opened the door to the mansion, the air inside was a little musty, but not foul. White sheets covered the furniture, and it seemed the dwelling was cleaned regularly, if not frequently. There were no pests that could be seen, and the lilies in the vase atop the front table looked to be only a few days old. Whoever was paying visits to the house only seemed concerned with the bare minimum of maintenance. Sebastian frowned at the layer of dust on the bannister but kept any remarks to himself. “Master, what exactly are we looking for here?” 

After his first quick glance around the foyer, Ciel didn’t think they’d find much. It looked like no one save the cleaners had been in the house in many years. “We’re looking for any signs of Templar activity, as well as any resources that may have been left behind.” Ciel made his way around the entrance hall, tiny puffs of dust rising from the carpet with each step. 

Sebastian’s eyes darted every which way. “At first glance, we appear to be alone…” “The demon?” Ciel’s heart began to race as he slowly drew his gun. 

“She’s close by. Let us resume our search, but keep sharp, my lord.” As they turned to head up the stairs, Ciel’s eyes spotted a wall of small portraits, flanked by a pair of pistols on one side and two crossed cutlasses on the other. 

“I suppose these must be the Kenways,” Ciel murmured, thoroughly unimpressed. “Wealthy, but not peers. Interesting.” The top portrait was of a rugged looking blond man, his eyes focused and hard. “Edward Kenway, huh,” the earl murmured again. Under Edward’s portraits were those of his wife, daughter, and son Haytham, who Ciel remembered hearing about from Soma. Haytham seemed to have inherited Edward’s cunning, based on his eyes alone. 

The wooden floors creaked softly beneath their feet as they made their way upstairs. The upper rooms seemed as if they had been unused for quite some time. Aside from a small model of Edward Kenway’s ship and a glass cube housing what looked like blood, there was nothing of interest. As they ventured back to the first floor, Sebastian leaned over his master’s shoulder and murmured, “She’s close, my lord. Definitely in the house with us.” 

“Better keep sharp then,” Ciel replied with a taunting smirk thrown over his shoulder at the demon. Their search was uneventful until they reached the parlor. 

Even with his single human eye, Ciel could tell the room had been recently occupied. The windows were open, and there was not a speck of dust to be seen on any surface. Papers were scattered on the small sidetable and the lid of the grand piano, but they seemed to have been placed there purposely, rather than just thrown about. 

Ciel made his way to the bookshelves on the wall, scanning their titles for anything that may be of use. Meanwhile, Sebastian meandered over to the piano, at first observing the papers laid atop the lid before turning to the piano keys themselves. Four of them were marked and appeared significantly more worn than the rest of the keys. Slightly intrigued, he flipped his coat and tails behind him before sitting on the bench. His hands arching gracefully over the keys, he began playing different combinations of the four marked keys with his right hand, harmonizing with the left just for show. 

“What on earth are you doing?” Ciel demanded with a frown. “This is no time to be playing piano, especially if the demon is close. What if she hears?” 

“Please indulge me for a moment master,” Sebastian replied with a smile, continuing to plunk out melodies. “I believe this will lead to what we have been searching for.” A few more different tunes filled the empty room before Sebastian played the right one. 

As he hit the last note, a hatch in the floor began to move, revealing a great square hole in the middle of the floor. A stone stairway descended into blackness, presumably under the house. Giving the piano a satisfied smile, Sebastian rose from the bench and gestured for Ciel to lead the way down the stairs. With a huff, Ciel drew his gun and grumbled, “This better be worth that noise,” as he began to descend the stairs. 

The passage was cool, the stone it was hewn from smooth to the touch. Ciel was grateful it wasn’t very long because the only sources of light were the room above them, and the room they were heading toward. It resembled the study under Nina’s shop, just on a smaller scale and with more piratical touches. A jolly roger hung on the wall above a bookshelf, and a ship’s wheel was on its stand against another wall. 

“It seems the Templars may have beaten us here,” Sebastian murmured as he looked around the room. “Not much appears to be taken, if they have taken anything. But I’m sure they are aware of its existence.” 

“A history of the London Assassins,” Ciel read from the cover of a journal. “This seems like the sort of thing they’d find interesting.” Sebastian placed the journal in his coat’s breast pocket with a nod. 

They had been looking for but a few more seconds before the hairs on the back of Sebastian’s neck stood up. “Master, behind me!” Grabbing the back of his overcoat, Sebastian yanked Ciel behind him and leaped back several feet. A silver knife sliced through the space the earl’s head had occupied but moments ago, burying itself in the wall. This wasn’t a knife like Sebastian’s that had a secondary job at Ciel’s table; it was a knife whose only purpose was to kill. 

“I was wondering when you would show yourself,” Sebastian called up the staircase to the parlor, smiling as he settled into a fighting stance, fingers laced tightly around his finely sharpened silverware. A woman slowly descended the staircase, casually toying with yet another knife. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Briar Elmstone.” 

Ciel stepped to Sebastian’s side to get a good look at her. It was as he suspected, or perhaps feared: her eyes were infinitely more unsettling in person than in the small portrait Sebastian had provided. They seemed to writhe and undulate with lives of their own, one of emerald and one of liquid gold. Despite the sunshine from above and the lanterns below, her eyes were the brightest things he could see. The earl fought a shiver, trying to avoid her gaze without appearing afraid. 

“I knew I had smelled a rat,” she replied with a smirk, firmly grasping the hilt of the knife in her hand. “So, you’re the famed Earl of Phantomhive, the queen’s dog.” Briar gave him a derogatory once over. “Not what I expected. I confess myself a little disappointed.” Her gaze then shifted to Sebastian, the earl all but forgotten. 

“Now you, I’m curious about.” She pointed the knife at Sebastian like a teacher with a ruler to single out a particular student. “What’s a demon like you doing playing butler?” 

“I could ask you a similar question,” Sebastian replied, smirking condescendingly at her. “I can smell your contract. I almost pity you; the soul you’ve become attached to is far from the highest quality.” 

“I’m well aware of that. But suffice to say that I will get more out of this contract than just his soul.” Briar took a few more steps toward them, casually running her fingers up and down the blade as if to test its sharpness. Her tongue briefly darted out to flick the point as her smirk grew. 

“What to do… I have no instructions regarding you. So I suppose whether you live or die is up to my discretion.” She flung the knife at Sebastian’s head with deadly accuracy, and she would have hit him right between the eyes if he hadn’t intercepted it and thrown it back at her. The move was gracefully casual, as if they were playing a game of toss. Briar caught the knife again and twirled it between her fingers with a smirk. “Not bad butler, not bad.” The knife slipped into her pocket and she drew her short sword. “But let’s see how you handle this.” 

Sebastian drew four knives from his coat, two in each hand. Briar almost laughed as she charged, surely he didn’t think he could fight her with tableware? But sure enough, he parried her first blow, then the one after that, and the one after that. Not only was he smarmy, but he was good. Annoyingly good. She would have to end this quickly. 

While the two demons fought, Ciel crept around the edge of the room, keeping one hand on the wall and the other on the trigger of his gun, ready to shoot should Briar come after him. When he reached the bookshelf, he began scanning the titles for anything that could be of use to the Assassins, pulling any relevant tomes off the shelf and stacking them in a pile on the desk. 

Meanwhile, Briar and Sebastian clashed furiously again and again, confined by the small quarters and the mutual desire not to destroy more than they had to, for the sake of their masters. Damn their demonic desire to maintain aesthetics. “Sebastian!” Ciel’s voice came from about halfway up the stairs. “We have what we need, it’s time to leave!” 

A devilish smile spread across the butler’s face. “Of course, my lord.” He parried a blow and threw a fork at the other demon, however, it missed and embedded itself in another shelf. “Might I ask you to wait in the corner for a few moments? I’m almost finished here.” He glanced at his master, his eyes briefly flashing red as his pupils became snake-like, a small but confident smile gracing his sharp features. It was the look he gave Ciel whenever he wanted his master to trust him without saying the words. The earl frowned, but picked up his stack of books and backed into the corner furthest away from where the two demons were battling. 

Assured that his master was out of harm’s way, Sebastian smirked and began to press the offensive, forcing Briar up the secret staircase towards the parlor. Their weapons clashed again and again, the silverware holding up remarkably well against her sword. It wasn’t ground easily gained; she took two steps forward for every three he pushed her back. They had both sustained superficial injuries by the time they reached the top of the stairs, a trickle of blood running down Sebastian’s cheek and another soaking into the white sleeve of Briar’s shirt. 

Sebastian landed a powerful kick to the center of her chest, and she flew backwards until she landed on the grand piano with a cacophonous crash. It splintered beneath her weight and the force she was hit with, and an aggravated, pained groan slipped out of her mouth. Smarmy bastard. 

Six knives flashed around her form, one landing in each arm while the other four pinned her clothes to the piano that concaved around her like a pair of jaws. She cried out as the silver pierced her skin, struggling to get herself free. It was no use, the knives were buried too deep. They’d be long gone by the time she freed herself. Her eyes flashed to blood red, and she growled at her opponent. Ciel noticed the change even from his corner. Surprisingly, her demonic visage was easier for him to stomach. At least it wasn’t totally unfamiliar. 

With a smirk, Sebastian leapt back to the bottom of the stairs, glancing back at his master to make sure he was still safe. “While this was rather enjoyable,” he taunted Briar, “I am afraid it’s time for us to take our leave.” He yanked a lever just inside the room and the hatch began to close. A frustrated growl, almost a scream, came from the parlor only to be cut off as the secret door closed above them. 

“Well done, you’ve trapped us down here,” Ciel scolded angrily. “How long before she gets free?” 

“Pardon me, my lord, but we are far from trapped.” Sebastian casually adjusted his coat and crossed the room to the ship wheel mounted to the wall. He carefully placed his hands on the old wood and began to turn it. A segment of the wall next to the wheel began to move, revealing a dark passage out of the room. Ciel gave a "hmph” and took a lantern from the wall, motioning for Sebastian to pick up the pile of books. With the earl still grumbling, the two made their way down the short corridor to a wooden ladder, a small circle of sunshine pouring down from above them. 

“If I may, master.” Sebastian shifted the books in his arm so that Ciel could sit atop them in his grasp, smirking slightly as his master struggled to keep his balance. Using his other hand, he quickly scaled the ladder to the city above them. 

~~~~~ 

After a brief stop at Nina’s shop to deliver what they had found, Ciel and Sebastian returned to the townhouse. 

“Shall I prepare you some tea, my lord?” 

“Tea does sound nice,” Ciel replied as Sebastian took his hat and coat. “That little search was quite tedious.” He smirked over his shoulder. “She almost had you there. Perhaps you’re losing your touch.” Sebastian frowned at his master but was soon smirking himself. 

“It won’t happen again, my lord. I now have the full measure of her. No doubt she is skilled, but you have nothing to fear, master.” Ciel hmphed and headed upstairs to his study where a large pile of Funtom paperwork was waiting on his desk. A Phantomhive’s work was never done, not even in the midst of a coup. 

In addition to the Funtom papers were letters from the Queen, inquiring as to how things were going. The earl set them aside to deal with later, running a hand through his hair before picking up a pen. 

Sebastian knocked and showed himself in with a tray of tea and biscuits. “Your tea, master. And a letter from Miss Hopkins. Our efforts at the Kenway mansion were much appreciated. The books we recovered seem to be quite valuable.” 

Ciel took a sip of tea. “That’s good to hear. With any luck, they’ll bring us closer to unveiling these mysterious Templar leaders.” 

~~~~~ 

The days turned to weeks, then weeks to months, and Ciel was no closer to eliminating the threat to his shadowy domain. The strain was starting to get to him, fraying his nerves. Briar’s eyes swam in and out of his dreams, taunting him by staying just out of his reach. 

Ciel, Sebastian, and the Assassins were once again pouring over the map of London in the study under Nina’s shop. Their heads all ached with frustration, except for Sebastian, who watched their struggles with a detached sort of amusement. 

“We’re getting nowhere,” Agni lamented. “There have been a dozen more murders just like Violet’s and yet we’re no closer to rooting out these damn snakes. We know who is committing the murders but she is merely a pawn, and from what you say, she may be beyond our capacity to capture or kill.” 

“What’s puzzling is that none of the dead are Assassins.” Soma swiped the back of his hand across his forehead. “Lord Phantomhive, do you recognize any of them?” Ciel appraised the photos he had “borrowed” from Scotland Yard. While he didn’t recognize any of them personally, he recognized some of the markings on their arms. They were all part of the criminal underworld, officers of some large gangs and leaders of some of the smaller ones. Some of these men reported directly to Lau, or had when they were alive. 

Compared to Ciel, these were petty thieves, hardly important pieces in the machine of England’s underbelly. Their deaths served no purpose that he could see. So why then...? 

“This makes no sense!” Ciel yelled as he slammed his hands down onto the surface of the desk, his frustration getting the better of him. “It’s like they’re taunting me, taking out my pawns right from under me!” Sebastian’s smirk grew; his master was quite amusing when his foes got the better of him 

“And what do you propose we do?” Agni shouted back. “They have taken our brothers and are one step away from eliminating the rest of us!” 

Ciel frowned and sank into a chair, rubbing his temples. “For a start, I think it’s high time we go on the offensive. I’m tired of sitting around and waiting for them to strike. It’s time we make our own move.” 

“Agreed,” Nina replied as she pushed her spectacles up the bridge of her nose. “Sitting around here won’t stop the murders or bring us any answers. We need to lure them into the open somehow.” 

“The Templars won’t fall for an obvious trap,” Agni cautioned, “They haven’t survived for centuries by taking obvious bait. They strike at the opportune moment, when it will benefit them the most.” 

“Then what do you propose we do?!” Soma’s frustration and overall exhaustion had finally got to him. Once he had processed the tone of his voice, he took a deep breath and murmured quietly, “Pardon me, mentor. I meant no disrespect. But we seem to be backed into a corner with not a single clue as to who is confining us.” The air in the room was thick with tension and despair, almost like a fog that clouded their minds. 

“If I may,” Sebastian piped up, “Tracking down Briar Elmstone would be a wise path to take. I believe I will be able to assist you in this task. I have fought her once before and have the full measure of her, it would be no trouble to remove her from the equation.” 

Agni let out a resigned sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “I am not fond of the idea of the two of you risking your lives, but I also know there isn’t an alternative.” He met Sebastian’s crimson eyes, easily holding the demon’s gaze. “I would very much appreciate it if you could take care of Miss Elmstone.” 

“With respect, my lord,” Sebastian said with a smile, turning to Ciel, “I would be a much more efficient pawn in this matter without having to concern myself with your safety. Therefore, once we return to the manor, I will set out on my own after Miss Elmstone, immediately.” 

Ciel frowned and set his teacup down on the desk. “Very well. The sooner we find her, the sooner we can strike at their core and crush this tedious coup.” 

After a few more hours of fruitless thinking and planning, Sebastian and Ciel took their leave of the Assassins and began the walk back to the townhouse. Night had truly fallen, and the light from the street lamps appeared hazy in the humid air. “Looks like we’re in for more rain,” Ciel mused softly, delicately skirting around what looked to be a rusted knife. Sebastian frowned as he too passed it, calming himself and tuning in to their surroundings. She was following them. At least she had saved him the tedious task of tracking her down. 

“Master,” Sebastian murmured, “Please step into the next alley over there. I believe Miss Elmstone has found us.” Ciel gasped softly, attempting to mask his rising fear. The alley Sebastian had pointed out was void of any light, and the darkness seemed to move. Steeling himself and stepping into the deep black, Ciel murmured back, “Make it quick. This alley smells like piss.” 

Sebastian stopped in the middle of the street and casually put his hands in his pockets, waiting for Briar to show herself. “You know,” Sebastian called into the night with a taunting smirk, knowing she could hear, “It’s rather rude to keep your opponent waiting.” A few moments later, Briar descended from a rooftop, landing in a crouch several feet in front of Sebastian. A hand was on her short sword, ready to draw. She was smiling rather insolently for Sebastian’s taste, as if she had a secret. 

“Sadly, you are not my target tonight,” Briar told Sebastian as she rose to her full height and flipped her braid over her shoulder. “I’m afraid I have much more pressing business than continuing our little contest, as amusing as that was. You and I will dance again, butler. That I promise.” A puzzled frown touched Sebastian’s face but was immediately replaced with one of shock. 

A short cry came from the alley Ciel had vanished down moments ago, a cry that sounded disturbingly like the voice of his young master. “My lord!” Sebastian pivoted on his toes and had taken one step to dash down the alley before Briar was in front of him once again, moving faster than humanly possible, but definitely within the demonic realm of possibility. 

“Like I said,” she taunted from the darkness, her eyes sparkling. “You are not my target tonight. But I look forward to our next meeting.” Through the gloom of the alley, Sebastian saw a man pass a body to Briar. 

The body of his unconscious young master. 

“Master!” Sebastian started after them, but before he could take two steps, Briar had melted into the inky blackness of the night, taking Ciel with her. Sebastian could still smell her; they seemed to be leaving the city. Growling to himself, Sebastian followed her trail as quickly as he could, anger licking his insides. No one was going to deprive him of Ciel Phantomhive, especially not another demon. The days of these Templars, as well as Briar Elmstone, were officially numbered.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The demon growled to himself, what a nuisance. Not only did he have to eliminate Briar Elmstone, he also had a little lord to rescue. So much to do, so little time, and only one demonic butler...
> 
> ~X~
> 
> "Captured again, this is getting ridiculous... Sebastian, you had better get here soon. That's an order." 

Sebastian raced through the streets of London proper before hitting the outskirts and then the countryside. He could sense his young master, as well as smell the demon that had taken him. She was moving as if chased by, well, the devil. The humans with her were moving at the same speed, leading him to assume they were in an automobile. 

The demon growled to himself, what a nuisance. Not only did he have to eliminate Briar Elmstone, he also had a little lord to rescue. So much to do, so little time, and only one demonic butler... 

Briar and her men took Ciel deep into the forest, Sebastian following their trail like a loyal bloodhound. His chase brought him deeper and deeper into the wilds of the forest, eventually ending at a cave cut into the cliffside. Stopping abruptly, Sebastian took a few deep breaths and assessed his surroundings, getting a feel for what he was up against. There were seven humans, not including his master. He picked up Briar’s essence, as well as a strong odor of opium that could only belong to Lau, or someone who worked very closely with him. But what concerned him most was the one essence he couldn’t identify. 

It wasn’t human or demon, but placing it was like trying to name someone in the background of a blurry photograph. Focusing his senses, Sebastian deduced that it wasn’t Juno, or at least another being of Isu descent, which was of little comfort because it could still be any number of things that may or may not be stronger than him. If he closed his eyes it seemed vaguely familiar, like he had encountered it before and not too long ago, but the face attached to the otherworldly essence eluded him. And Sebastian was not fond of the notion of fighting an unknown, unearthly entity. 

He snarled softly, mentally weighing his options. On the one hand, he could return to London and gather the Assassins, evening out the odds. Or he could infiltrate the cave himself and rescue Ciel before they were any wiser. He sighed; the humans would be easy to trick and avoid, but Briar and whatever creature lurked in the dark would be much harder to deceive. And as strong as he was, Sebastian wasn’t entirely sure he could defeat both Briar and this unknown force on his own. Damn it all to hell. 

It took every ounce of his considerable strength to mark the cave with some of his own essence and turn back to the city. Humans were often weak, silly, and petty, but the Assassins had been fighting this enemy for centuries and were still around. They would be able to handle Lau and the humans while he disposed of Briar and rescued his master, hopefully without being defeated by whatever creature lurked in the inky blackness. 

~~~~~

Sebastian all but flew to the Assassin hideout, yet when he announced himself, it was with the calm professionalism he prided himself on. The three Assassins were once again seated around the large desk, pouring over the books Ciel had recovered from the Kenway mansion. 

”Sebastian!” Agni stood as he greeted the butler, somewhat surprised to see him. “How can we help you?” 

”My young master has been taken, by the Templars and Miss Elmstone. They’re holding him in a cave outside the city. If my suspicion is correct, this cave has a distinct Isu influence.” The blood drained from the Assassins’ faces, making even dark-skinned Agni and Soma appear pale. 

”Well then,” Nina began, slightly trembling hands on her hips, “we can’t just sit around here, now can we? This is the moment we’ve been waiting for.” Agni sighed and began pacing around the desk. 

”How many were there?” he asked, glancing up at Sebastian. 

”Seven, not including Lord Phantomhive. Miss Elmstone is there as well, along with a very powerful entity I couldn’t quite place.” Soma shuddered. 

”I don’t like this,” he mumbled. “We’re outnumbered and outmatched.” 

”I don’t either,” Agni replied with a resigned breath, ceasing his pacing. “Sebastian, if we engage the Templars, would you be able to handle Miss Elmstone?” Sebastian bowed his head with a smile, placing a hand over his heart. 

”It would be my pleasure. We do have some unfinished business after all.” 

”Right.” Agni nodded and strode to the wardrobe, purposefully flinging the doors open. “Arm yourselves,” he ordered the other Assassins over his shoulder before reaching for his own sword and hidden blade. “It’s time we make a stand.” 

~~~~~

When Ciel came to, he was still shrouded in darkness, save for a soft blue glow. He could smell the dank musk of wet stone, as well as something distinctly metallic, all held captive by the overwhelming scent of opium. As he laid on his side, his shoulders ached terribly from having his arms tied behind his back; his cheek was pressed into cold stone, covered with a layer of slime. “Captured again,” he grumbled to himself. “This is getting ridiculous.” 

The earl had lost track of how long he had been unconscious. Where was Sebastian anyways? Opening his good eye, Ciel could see what looked like the inside of a cave, beams of dark metal cutting through the stone and geometric patterns illuminated in gentle, ethereal blue light. And where had he seen this stone before? It took a moment to realize it was the stone as the Templar ring they had found seemingly ages ago. Was this cave made by the same ancient beings? 

He could hear the voice of Briar Elmstone, as well as an oily chuckle that could only have belonged to Lau. “Oh, Miss Elmstone,” he heard the opium dealer softly chuckle, “I could have told you that much. Unique he is, strange are his eyes, but he is not a Sage.” 

'”A Sage?'” Ciel thought to himself. If he remembered correctly, that was the word Sebastian had used to describe Briar, a reincarnated soul tasked with freeing an ancient being named Juno. He almost laughed; given the chance he could have told Briar himself that he was not cut from the same cloth as she. The earl heard another chuckle come from the darkness, this one lower in tone and more sinister. A confident, self assured baritone, not unlike Sebastian’s, but a hair deeper. Something about it set his bones on edge. 

”Doesn’t matter if he is or isn’t,” the voice cooed, the sound barely reaching Ciel’s ears from across the cave, combined with the echoes of dripping water. “You and he are entwined, Miss Briar. You don’t get what you need without him. And remember, I’m your only salvation.” 

Briar growled low in her throat. “Don’t remind me,” she bit out. “Can we just kill him and be done with it?” The voice laughed again, accompanied by the sound of a smashing rock. Ciel took a guess that it was Briar venting some of her frustration. 

”Patience, little Sage,” the voice cooed. “You’re so very close to getting everything you want.” Lau, however, was not so eager for this to be done. 

”Must this really be the end?” he asked casually. “Surely we could continue to benefit each other even further were my soul to remain intact.” Briar snorted and her voice dropped to a deadly snarl, difficult for Ciel to hear even through the echo of the cave. 

”Are you trying to back out of our contract? Whether you like it or not, your time is almost up. I’ll allow you to reap your reward, and then I shall take mine.” A heavy silence filled the cave. 

Ciel squirmed on the cave floor, struggling against his bonds. It wasn’t hard to figure out they meant to kill him; somewhat unexpected but definitely within Lau’s realm of ability. Briar, he knew was more than capable, and had no qualms regarding murder. And this voice in the shadows, he must be the mastermind behind this- the leader of the Templars. So close to the one responsible for this latest inconvenience, and yet so far from eliminating him. 

Measured steps made their way toward him, and he smelled roses mixed with smoke and sulfur, almost making him gag. With effortless contempt, Briar lifted Ciel by his rope bonds and carried him deeper into the structure, a large chamber that resembled a lofty-ceilinged temple. Lau and several thugs were bathed in soft blue light, yet the mastermind remained in the shadows. 

”How lovely to see you, Lord Phantomhive,” the voice slithered from the blackness. “Such a pleasure to have you with us.” 

Slightly surprising himself, Ciel barked out a short laugh and gave the dark a vicious smile. “Your ‘brotherhood’ has been unusually bold as of late. Clearly you don’t know what happens when you invade a dog’s territory.” The voice laughed back at him, a hearty, bone-shaking sound. 

”Which is why I came prepared with some help of my own. Miss Elmstone has more of a stake in this, truth be told. I’m happy to facilitate her wants and get some prizes of my own in return.” His words had Ciel’s already slightly aching head pounding even harder. 

”Speak sense! Why would the Templars dare make a move into my territory?” Another chuckle from the dark. 

”I think I’ll keep my reasons to myself, for now…” the voice trailed off. 

“The Assassins are coming,” it growled, abruptly changing from mocking to authoritative. “Gentlemen, you know your job. The butler belongs to Miss Elmstone. The rest, kill them. May the Father of Understanding guide us.” 

Seven voices echoed, “May the Father of Understanding guide us,” before Ciel heard their footsteps moving into the antechamber of the cave; a perfectly wide open yet contained space. Room to move and fight, yet keep them far away from their goal. _Sebastian,_ Ciel thought to himself, _You had better get here soon. That’s an order._ A hand reached out of the darkness and pale fingers hooked themselves into the ropes that bound Ciel, pulling him into the blackness. As his eyes adjusted, Ciel was able to get a vague glimpse of his captor, and his uncovered eye widened in surprise, hardly able to believe who he was seeing. 

”Y-you!” 

~~~~~

Sebastian felt the seal on his hand burn as he raced through the forest with the three Assassins. _I’m coming, young master._ The demon had to work hard to keep his speed in check; if he pushed these humans too hard they would arrive with no strength to fight, and Sebastian knew they were certainly in for a fight. Taking a carriage to the edge of the city had saved some time, but the darkness and closeness of the trees was quickly robbing them of that advantage. 

When they reached the mouth of the cave, Agni, Soma, and Nina were panting, but not totally winded. These humans were much hardier than Sebastian had given them credit for. Crouched in the shadows near the entrance, Sebastian filled them in on the details as they readied their weapons. 

”There are seven Templars waiting for us in the first chamber, from what I can tell. Miss Elmstone will no doubt be guarding the young lord. Your job is to take out the Templars, I will deal with Miss Elmstone. Is that understood?” The three Assassins nodded, swords drawn and hidden blades glistening in the shafts of moonlight. Sebastian could hear their hearts beating, pumping adrenaline through their veins. A deceptively cheery smile touched his face. 

”And please, do try not to get killed.” 

~~~~~

In the antechamber of the cave, seven Templar thugs cracked their knuckles and checked their guns, most of them sporting eight-round revolvers. They spread out, some rolling their shoulders, others bouncing on the tips of their toes, all keeping their eyes on the mouth of the cave, waiting for the Assassins to show themselves. It was quiet, eerily quiet. The kind of quiet that sets your nerves on edge. 

A small sound like a falling rock. It looked like a rock, a rock that was rolling toward them and…spitting out smoke? The thugs cursed as they were enveloped in a dense white fog, unable to see three feet in front of them. 

”Don’t shoot!” one yelled, “We might hit each oth-aaahhh!” His warning was cut off by a short scream, then silence. Six left. 

Agni, Soma, and Nina moved quietly, trying to gain as much ground before the smoke disappeared. Agni could see the black shadow that was Sebastian dart around the edge of the chamber, heading deeper into the cave to find Briar Elmstone. Luck was not on their side, for the layout of the cave was creating a draft that sucked all the smoke back out the mouth and into the forest. As it cleared, the three Assassins found themselves surrounded by the six remaining thugs, with six guns aimed at their heads. 

”Remember not to get killed,” Nina quipped, a smirk touching her face as she unsheathed her hidden blade and lunged at the thug closest to her. Soma did the same, his heart pounding in his chest. Agni was more stoic, his brow furrowed in concentration and mouth tight as he too sprang for a thug. 

The cave was filled with shouts and intermittent sounds of metal clashing together; the thugs had brought long knives to use should they run out of ammo or their guns be rendered ineffective. Soma had the misfortune to be against the most muscular among them, who also seemed to be the one with the most fight experience. The two were still grappling on their feet, but it was clear that Soma’s strength was starting to give out. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, and his arms shook like leaves in a storm. In a burst of effort, the thug released one arm and drove his fist into Soma’s midsection, causing the young Assassin to grunt and double over as pain radiated through his torso. Hunched over, almost down on one knee, he barely avoided the kick aimed at his head, rolling on the cave floor until his feet were back under him. Standing hurt; he figured one of his ribs was cracked, if not broken. Holding his sword in one hand and his aching side in the other, Soma lunged back at his foe, his blade a deadly flash of silver that was met by a knife and the Templar’s smirk. 

Nina wasn’t faring much better. Even as one of the quicker Assassins, she was still struggling to remain uninjured in her fight against two Templars, armed with two knives each. She had dodged or blocked all their blows thus far, but as her strength failed her moves were slower and slower, allowing her foes to land several superficial hits that slowly leaked blood onto her clothes. The two Templars backed her up against the wall, ready to go in for the kill. 

Agni was the only one who seemingly had no trouble, even though he was facing three opponents. His moves gracefully flowed into each other, his strikes hard and precise. His bandaged hands appeared to glow blue in the soft light of the cave, as did his white hair. Two of his foes succumbed to knees that would no longer bear weight before Agni’s blades were buried in their chests. In the few seconds between his finishing move and his remaining opponent making their next move, Agni’s gaze flicked upward to see how his students were doing. Neither were doing well, but Nina was dangerously close to being defeated. 

In four quick steps, Agni was across the cave floor and flying toward the two men cornering Nina against the wall. She had her arms up and was blocking an attack, her eyes shut in fear, when Agni leaped through the air and brought them both down, hidden blade in the neck of one, a knife in the other. Nina shuddered and adjusted her weapons. 

”Thanks for that,” she murmured before darting off to help Soma, who wasn’t doing much better. In addition to his injured side he was now sporting a deep gash on his left arm, which dripped blood onto the cave floor and left him with only one hand that could fight. Nina drew a throwing knife from a loop on her belt and hurled it at the Templar’s knee, the blade slicing right through the flesh and tendons. The Templar dropped, and Soma’s sword found a new home in his neck. Panting for breath, he gasped, 

”Nice throw.” 

”Thank you,” Nina replied with a smile, flipping her braid over her shoulder. Satisfied his two students were safe, Agni turned to face the last remaining Templar. While the man was trembling slightly, Agni gave him credit for standing his ground and facing him, especially after seeing how his fellow henchmen had ended up. The older Assassin took a few measured steps toward his opponent before settling into a fighting stance, knife and hidden blade at the ready. 

The last remaining Templar reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of brass knuckles, each piece adorned with long spikes. Slowly, as if savoring it, he slid them onto his hands and rolled his shoulders, stepping toward Agni to show he was ready. 

Agni made the first move, a quick side step before driving his fist toward the man’s kidney. His foe avoided the punch and returned with a blow of his own, the spikes on his knuckles creating a slight slice in Agni’s shirt. Damn, he’d have to be more careful. 

Aiming to keep his opponent at a distance, Agni drew his sword and lunged, aiming once again for the kill. His blow was parried by brass knuckles and the sound of metal scraping together filled the cave. Nina and Soma’s eyes darted around, looking for Sebastian or an opening that would help their mentor. No openings presented themselves but they couldn’t just leave their mentor. So they watched and waited with bated breath, hovering on the tips of their toes, ready to move in if necessary. 

Agni and the last remaining Templar went at it for several furious minutes, growls and grunts echoing off the cave walls. Try as he might, Agni couldn’t break through his guard, so a different approach was needed. Carefully watching for the opportune moment, Agni went on the defensive, using as little energy as possible to parry the blows. 

Finally, his moment came. A cross body punch toward his chin done in perfect form moved almost in slow motion towards his body. Steeling himself, Agni reached out a hand and clamped his fingers around the Templar’s wrist, watching his other hand as he slid inside the Templar’s guard. Smiling at the look of shock on his opponent’s face, Agni drove his foot into the man’s knee, bending it back the wrong way with a sickening crack. The Templar dropped like a stone, and Agni drove his sword into his chest. 

Removing the blade with an almost casual flick, Agni murmured, “I hope Sebastian is alright. Even if it was his request, letting him go after Miss Elmstone alone does not sit right.” 

“Then we had best make sure he’s okay,” Soma replied, placing a hand on his mentor’s shoulder. The three Assassins took a moment to adjust their weapons and check their injuries before heading deeper into the dark, listening for any sounds of the inevitable fight between Sebastian and Briar. A fight for Ciel’s life, London’s underworld, and all of England.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter! So far it was the hardest to write but it's also the one I'm proudest of. This will probably end with two shorter chapters; thus far the way I want to wrap it up would be way too much to cram into one chapter, unless that's what y'all want xD let me know! As always many thanks and endless love to Chrome and Griever for beta-ing. And many thanks and endless love to everyone who has followed the story up to this point <3 Nothing is true, everything is permitted


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ciel snarled, trying to move away from the blade that was dangerously close to drawing blood, but it was no use. He was trapped, with only one move available to him: concede to his captor’s demands and trust that Sebastian could win this fight.
> 
> He lowered his head, shaking loose his eyepatch and earning himself some small scratches from the blade. His sigiled eye glowed violet in the gloom of the cave as he glared across the chamber, his blood thrumming with the power of their contract. 
> 
> "Sebastian,” he shouted, “This is an order! Defeat Briar Elmstone and save me NOW!”
> 
> A low, rumbling chuckle echoed through the cave, shaking it like an earthquake with the strength and force of its three words:
> 
> _Yes, my lord._

_Where could the young master possibly be?_ Sebastian asked himself, scanning every shadowed nook and cranny he passed as he sped deeper into the cave, a cave which seemed more and more like an abandoned temple with every step he took. Briar Elmstone was here somewhere, waiting for him. She did promise a rematch after all. 

The soft glow of the geometric patterns on the walls bathed every inch of the main chamber in blue. Sebastian inhaled softly, taking in opium, roses, sulfur, mildewed stone, and the distinct scent of his young master. A smirk touched his face as he reached into his jacket, drawing four knives honed to lethal sharpness. _There you are,_ he growled to himself, slowing his footsteps. Blackness oozed out of his false skin, his true form blending with the shadows until all that could be seen were a pair of glowing red eyes, the edges turned slightly purple from the light of the stone. The eyes hid on the ceiling of the cave, watching, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. 

~~~~~

On the floor of the cave, Briar was ready and waiting, her eyes darting to every corner of darkness, her hand clenched around the hilt of her short sword. Sebastian was here, that much she knew. Otherwise the little lord wouldn’t seem so calm and reassured, even when held in the embrace of the true master of this game. Besides, his scent had filled every crevice of the cavern, cinnamon and spice mixed with sulfur and death. 

Clearly, Ciel and his captor could sense the butler as well. “It seems your savior has arrived, little lord,” he crooned in Ciel’s ear, the young earl flinching away. How could _he_ of all people be the one responsible for this?! 

”Let me go!” he snapped back, struggling in vain against the ropes that bound him. He was roughly turned,his back held tight against the man’s hard chest, a long finger curling around a lock of stormy hair with deceptive gentleness. 

”You will watch this,” he growled with a little chuckle at the end. “Now then…” A knife with a needle fine blade rested itself across Ciel’s throat, the blade seeming to glow. “Order your butler to save you, like a good little lord. Come on then, I don’t have all day.” 

Ciel snarled, trying to move away from the blade that was dangerously close to drawing blood, but it was no use. He was trapped, with only one move available to him: concede to his captor’s demands and trust that Sebastian could win this fight. 

He lowered his head, shaking loose his eyepatch and earning himself some small scratches from the blade. His sigiled eye glowed violet in the gloom of the cave as he glared across the chamber, his blood thrumming with the power of their contract. 

”Sebastian,” he shouted, “This is an order! Defeat Briar Elmstone and save me NOW!” 

A low, rumbling chuckle echoed through the cave, shaking it like an earthquake with the strength and force of its three words: 

_Yes, my lord._

~~~~

Briar tensed, her eyes darting back and forth. So,he was here after all. “Come on then, Sebastian!” she called into the darkness. “You’re wasting time, that precious boy doesn’t have forever.” A rush of cold air, a gathering of shadows, and in the blink of an eye Sebastian was before her, kneeling with his head bowed and a hand over his heart. A devious smirk spread across his face, and his eyes glowed scarlet in the dark. 

”My apologies if I have kept you waiting.” His smirk turned into a disingenuous smile. 

”You’re late,” Ciel grumbled from the shadows where he was being held. Sebastian could make out the glow of his eventual prey’s sapphire and amethyst eyes, but not the face of the one who held him. And he didn’t care for that at all. 

”Once again my lord, I apologize,” he teased over his shoulder with another smile, calmly rising to his feet. “Please inform the one taking such poor care of you that once Miss Elmstone and I have finished our business, they are next.” Ciel’s captor humph-ed behind him and tightened his grip. 

Turning his gaze back to Briar, Sebastian drew four knives, two in each hand. Slowly, almost as if relishing in the tension, Briar drew her short sword, the tip aimed right between Sebastian’s eyes. The two demons began circling each other, slow, careful steps, their feet barely making a sound on the floor of the cave as they sized each other up, brows furrowed in concentration. Ciel he could practically touch the tension with his hand. While Sebastian had won their last encounter, this fight was different. This time, the winner takes all. 

Briar was the first to break the pattern when she lunged at Sebastian, her sword a deadly flash of silver in the soft blue light. Rather than parrying, Sebastian dodged each of her next three thrusts, leaping out of the way when she jumped toward him with a much larger step. 

”Really, Miss Elmstone,” he goaded with a smirk, one hand holding two knives over his chest and the other behind his back. “I was hoping you had improved somewhat since last we danced.” Briar frowned at him, casually twirling her sword in her hand. Her free hand drew one of her throwing knives and she settled back into a ready stance, waiting for Sebastian to make the first move. 

In an almost imperceptible motion, Sebastian shifted his weight to the balls of his feet and darted towards Briar with quick steps, his knives aimed directly at her eyes. Quickly, Briar brought up her crossed blades and caught Sebastian’s blow, smirking as she stopped him in his tracks. He was stronger than she had anticipated, and even in her rock solid stance, her feet began to slide back on the stone floor. Briar’s smirk turned to a frown, her blades scraping against Sebastian as she tried to push back. _Bastard,_ she thought to herself. Barely a minute into their fight and it was already not going well for her. 

In a burst of effort, she used her crossed blades to briefly push Sebastian far enough away for her to leap out of range of his knives, tossing her braid over her shoulder as she contemplated her next move. The rumbling in her stomach hadn’t escaped her: Briar hadn’t consumed a soul in decades and was absolutely starving. The longer this dragged out, the weaker she would become. 

They began their tense circling again, practically gliding over the stone floor with the kind of grace a prowling predator would envy. Their eyes glowed scarlet in the blackness of the cave. 

”Sebastian!” Ciel yelled, “Stop playing around and finish her!” 

”Forgive me, my lord,” the demon replied, a smile spreading across his face even as his eyes never left his opponent. “I merely wanted to add some excitement to the show. But as previously stated, we don’t have all day.” 

Sebastian flung a knife directly at Briar’s forehead, darting towards her on the heels of the weapon. She casually batted it out of the way with her own knife, but was barely able to bring her sword up in time to block his next blow. He kept pressing her back, and Briar began to weave and dodge around the small stalagmites that came out of the floor close to the chamber’s entrance. 

”You’re good, butler,” she taunted, crouched behind a larger rock, “But how do you expect to defeat me with such tiny knives? Everyone knows mine’s bigger.” Sebastian chuckled low in his throat, and there was a loud scrape of metal on rock. Briar covered her ears and ducked her head just in time for the top two feet of the formation to fall to one side. _Must be some butter knife,_ she thought to herself, springing up to her full height as a slight breeze alerted her to Sebastian’s incoming attack. 

”Shit,” she swore, jumping out of the way just in time. Sebastian had a smug smirk on his face, like he knew something she did not. Ciel, however, did know that look. Sebastian had her all but backed into a corner, and was enjoying toying with her until she realized it. 

Her hunger was getting to her. Forget a soul, when was the last time she had consumed one of Lau’s blood vials? It must have been a while ago, because she should not be feeling this fatigued. Growling to herself, she twirled her sword and knife, preparing to meet Sebastian’s next set of attacks. She blocked three of them, stepping back away from the entrance to the chamber. On his fourth attack, Sebastian smartly rapped her wrist and her throwing knife clattered to the ground. His smirk growing, he continued to press his advantage, raining blows down on the blade of her sword that was blocking just in time. Her strength was failing. It was time to end this. 

With a satisfied, smug growl, Sebastian took one large step into Briar’s guard, exhaling a soft breath as their noses almost touched. He appeared to move in slow motion, one hand wrapping around her throat and the other grabbing her right wrist. He positioned himself behind her, kicked the backs of her knees until they hit the stone floor, and moved her wrist so the blade of her sword was at her throat. 

Check. 

The sound of slow, mocking applause echoed from the back of the cave where Ciel was being held. “Well done, butler,” came the voice from the shadows. “Well done indeed. But I think it’s time we move this game into its final phase.” There was a rustle of fabric and a brief grunt from Ciel as Sebastian turned Briar so they could both see who was about to emerge from the darkness. 

First, it was a black boot. Then the hem of a long, black coat. Then Ciel, still bound in ropes, carried like a log under one skinny arm. The other pale hand was wrapped around Lau’s wrist; long, black fingernails digging into his skin as he dragged the smuggler behind him. Waist length, snow white hair bathed in blue emerged next, followed by a face riddled with scars, a top hat, and a scythe, the long curved blade coming out of a skeleton’s mouth. 

Sebastian quickly hid his surprise with a disdainful smile. “I was wondering when you would reveal yourself, Mr. Undertaker.” 

~~~~~

Undertaker chuckled lowly, the sound coming from deep in his chest as he stepped fully into the blue glow, smirking in amusement as he took in Briar’s situation. Unceremoniously dropping Ciel to the ground and releasing Lau, he brought his hands together in more sarcastic applause, taking a few casual steps toward Sebastian. 

”You never cease to amuse and impress me, butler. But as I said, this game is in its final phase. You may want to prepare yourself.” In an instant, he had appeared next to Sebastian, moving so quickly even the demon’s eyes couldn’t track him. A hand came up and Undertaker casually backhanded the butler across his cheek, forcing him to let go of Briar as he careened across the cave, landing somewhat ungracefully next to his master. 

”My lord, are you alright?” he murmured with a quick sideways glance at Ciel, not daring to take his eyes off Undertaker for more than a second. 

”Untie me,” the earl spat, frowning at his butler. With a small sigh, Sebastian easily cut through the ropes, Ciel batting away his hand as he sat up and rolled his shoulders to ease some of the pain. “Undertaker has been behind this the whole time,” he murmured to the demon, shifting into a crouch should he need to move. “But I don’t understand why, or what he hopes to gain.” 

”You’ll find out soon enough, little lord,” Undertaker cooed over his shoulder from across the cave. Lau was kneeling in front of him, his face pale and form trembling in fear. “That is,” the former reaper continued, “if your butler can survive one last round with my dear little Sage here.” Dropping his voice to a murmur, he leaned in close to Briar’s ear, stroking her hair with deceptive gentleness as he said, “Go on then, claim your prize. Your part in this is almost done, enjoy your reward while you can.” 

Glaring slightly at the man who had been controlling her moves for just a little too long, Briar slowly circled Lau until she was standing in front of him. The contract seal on the back of her hand began to glow violet, as did the matching seal on the back of Lau’s neck. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead as Briar’s eyes glowed scarlet and leaned in even closer, so close they practically shared breath. 

Ciel’s breath caught in his lungs, not even daring to blink as he watched the scene in front of him. He had known since the contract was formed that his life would end when he got his revenge, and Sebastian would devour his soul. And Lau was about to meet the same fate. He forced himself to watch and commit the scene to memory, so he would know what to expect when his time finally came. 

Her black nails elongated into razor sharp claws. Moving slowly, she placed one hand on Lau’s chest directly above his heart, nails sinking into his skin until small pearls of blood appeared and soaked into his shirt. She pressed even harder, the blood stain widening, until in one aggressive slash, her hand fully penetrated his chest, sinking into his chest cavity up to her wrist. 

Lau’s eyes went wide with pain, and a choked noise forced itself out of his throat. Briar had warned him that it would hurt, but he hadn’t expected this. He could feel her nails scratching around inside him, shredding the muscles of his heart and chest as she sought her prize. When her fingers finally curled around his soul, she shuddered in disgust. It would hardly be a meal worth savoring, but one she desperately needed if she was to defeat Sebastian. 

Steeling herself, she tightened her grasp and yanked Lau’s soul from the gaping chasm her hand created. It appeared to glow, emitting rays of pale green light mixed with a haze reminiscent of opium smoke. The sickly looking soul writhed and twisted in her hand as the opium dealer’s body fell to the floor with a thud, his eyes wide open in the pain of his final moments. Taking a deep breath through her nose, Briar slowly brought the morsel to her mouth and ate it whole, quickly swallowing to avoid absorbing too much of its sleazy, cheap flavor. 

”You lack refinement,” Sebastian taunted in a judgmental tone from across the cave, a smirk touching his face. “There are so many more elegant and pleasurable ways to remove and consume a soul.” 

”What does it matter to you?” Briar shot back, returning his smirk. “This meal was about sustenance, nothing more. And you’ll soon understand why.” She took another deep breath, her scarlet eyes glowing even brighter. The air seemed to be sucked out of the cave, and her clothes and hair ruffled with an invisible breeze. Briar could feel strength returning to her, then growing, and growing, and growing. Gods but it had been too long since she had eaten a soul, and had forgotten how even the most revolting of souls could grant this euphoric, almost orgasmic sensation. The scarlet glow of her eyes receded to a small ring around her pupils, her mismatched green and gold eyes glittering in the gloom. 

”Now then…” her voice was an inhuman growl as she casually bent down to retrieve her sword. “I believe we have a match to finish, butler. I hope you’re ready.” 

Sebastian’s frown deepened; he hadn’t counted on facing a demon with a belly full of a just consumed soul. This could become quite a problem. 

As he stood and drew two more knives, Nina, Agni, and Soma ran into the chamber, having finally found their way through the dark maze of tunnels. “Sebastian!” Agni called across the chamber, his voice echoing off the stone. Both Briar and Undertaker glowered at the newcomers, who took a cautious step back but remained ready to fight. 

”Agni,” Sebastian responded calmly, taking measured steps toward Briar that revealed nothing of his trepidation, “I would very much appreciate if you and the Assassins could watch over the young master. Miss Elmstone and I have a bit of unfinished business to attend to.” The three Assassins carefully made their way around the perimeter of the chamber, their eyes never leaving Briar and the Undertaker. The two demons had once again begun their tense circling, and the Undertaker had moved a few steps back so he could watch from a safe distance. 

Sebastian’s brow was furrowed in deep concentration, narrowed eyes tracking even the smallest of Briar’s movements. Her steps were more assured, her grip on her sword more confident. He may have beaten her the last time, but now she had a distinct advantage. Sebastian glanced briefly over his shoulder to assure himself the Assassins were protecting Ciel. In that split moment, Briar spat with a feral grin, “Don’t get too distracted now, butler-” she rushed toward him, her sword a flash of deadly silver, “We haven’t finished our dance!” 

Sebastian’s knives came up just in time to block her strike, the clash and scrape of metal on metal filling the cave. Another blow quickly followed, and the tables were turned: this time it was Briar pressing the advantage, pushing Sebastian closer and closer to the cave wall with every attack. The two demons grunted and growled, fighting with an aggressiveness that was unseen in any creature of this earth. The misses were near, and even Ciel could tell that fighting a freshly fed demon was taking quite a bit out of his butler. 

The three Assassins had formed a defensive triangle around Ciel, their blades drawn and ready to intervene. Their collective anxiety was palpable as their eyes attempted to track the two demons that moved inhumanly fast. “We have to do something,” Nina hissed almost desperately to Agni. “They’re almost too fast to see but Sebastian needs our help.” Agni’s frown deepened but he made no move towards the still clashing demons. _They must be more than human,_ he thought to himself. It was true, they had not stopped to circle each other, rest, or even breathe for a moment. The sound of metal on metal crashing together hadn’t stopped once since Briar’s first attack. 

It seemed as if their fight would never stop, but eventually it did. After a few more minutes of constant fighting, Briar found an opening. It was the first one the butler had given her since they had begun this round, and she intended to take full advantage of it. She brought her leg up and delivered a powerful kick, the heel of her boot slamming right into Sebastian’s diaphragm. The breath was forced from his lungs, and he soared through the air until he hit the far wall of the cave. His grunt of pain was lost among the sound of cracking and falling stone, along with the thud of his body hitting the ground. He carefully stood, massaging his midsection and forcing himself to take calm, steady breaths. Despite it all, a smirk touched his face. 

”My, my,” he taunted, adjusting his gloves and discarding his now blunt knives, drawing two fresh ones from his coat, “Now that you’ve had a proper meal, you’re almost a challenge for me. Almost.” 

Briar matched his smirk. “Hmph, pretty tough words for someone who just left their impression in the wall.” She glanced at Undertaker, who was watching the whole thing with a stoically impassive expression. He seemed to have completely disregarded the Assassins’ presence, considering them unimportant so long as they were clustered around the tiny guard dog. 

”Mentor, now’s our chance,” Soma whispered to Agni, “If we’re going to make a move to help Sebastian it has to be now.” Agni gave his two students an almost imperceptible nod, and they fanned out away from Ciel, keeping close to the shadows as they approached the circling demons. Their eyes met Agni’s, and at his slight hand signal, they attacked. 

Soma was closer to Briar, so he only needed two steps to get in range while Nina needed five. But years of training under Agni’s skillful eye meant their attacks were perfectly coordinated with deadly aim at Briar’s throat, and would have been the end of just about any human. 

But she wasn’t any human, she was a demon and a recently fed one at that. With a growl of annoyance, Briar drew a second knife from her belt and brought it up along with her sword to block their blows. Sebastian was momentarily taken by surprise, glancing at Agni to make sure he hadn’t missed something. The older Assassin gave him a small nod, standing protectively over Ciel with his sword drawn. While Briar was cursing the petty humans currently giving her more trouble than they were worth, Sebastian smiled genuinely at the two fighting Assassins, remarking to himself that some humans were worth more attention and credit than that of a simple meal. 

The two Assassins were fighting as hard as they could, but they were still no match for a demon of Briar’s current strength. “You damn Assassins just don’t know when to quit!” she spat at them, with venom reserved especially for the two groups who had hunted her across the years. 

Shifting his weight to the balls of his feet, Sebastian watched for an opening, hoping it wouldn’t come at the cost of one of his newfound allies. 

Sadly, his hopes were dashed, twice. Soma and Nina were giving her some trouble, but they were just no match for Briar. A hard punch to Soma’s already injured side and a hard kick to Nina’s chest sent them both to the floor, grimacing in pain and willing themselves to stand before she finished them off. Seeing his moment, Sebastian darted towards her on feet lighter than shadows, knives seeking her blood. Growling again, she began parrying his blows one after the other, Sebastian’s perceived opening growing smaller by the second. Once Nina and Soma had recovered, they adjusted their grips on their weapons and rejoined the fray, coordinating their moves flawlessly with Sebastian, trying to overwhelm the demon and bring her down. 

A maniacal cackle came from Undertaker, bent over and clutching his sides in mirth. “This is the best contest I’ve seen in ages!” 

Agni’s grip on his sword tensed, his entire body coiled with tension and ready to strike. “My lord,” he said to Ciel over his shoulder, “Your butler asked me to protect you, but my students are in danger. Will you be alright?” Ciel’s eyes momentarily widened, but the moment of uncertainty passed like a swift breeze. The hardened earl’s countenance returned as he gave Agni a nod. “Go.” A smirk touched his face. “It seems Sebastian needs all the help he can get.” 

~~~~~

Sebastian frowned; this fight was becoming more of a nuisance by the second, and the odds were against him. Briar had dealt both Nina and Soma grievous wounds that weren’t fatal, but made fighting next to impossible. Going on the offensive was no longer an option for them; it was taking everything they had to stop Briar from finishing them off. 

The demon Sage however was enjoying herself immensely. Her eyes glowed with a savage glee, toying with her opponents the way a lion does before moving in for the kill. Her sword and knife were deadly flashes of silver, the cave filled with the sound of clashing metal. 

It had taken a while, but Soma’s wounds finally got the better of him. Instead of darting in for a deadly attack, he stumbled over leaden feet, allowing Briar to parry his strike with contemptuous ease before delivering a powerful kick to his midsection. Soma cried out in pain as he flew through the air, hitting the cave wall and crumpling to the ground. He lay defeated, immobile as if dead. 

”Soma!” Nina shouted, trying to duck under Briar’s guard and go to her fallen comrade. The demon laughed at her efforts, blocking every move she made. 

”You’d better check on him,” Briar taunted, continuing to cut off Nina’s path, “He’s really quite beat up.” Nina charged the demon with a savage battle cry, Briar laughing as she parried her blow along with one from Sebastian. 

The three combatants separated for a moment, Nina breathing hard from exertion and anger while Sebastian and Briar were barely winded. Desperate, rage-filled tears welled up in Nina’s eyes, but she shoved them down and told herself to be strong, that her allies needed her. No, that her _friends_ needed her. 

Nina gathered her courage and made another dash for Soma. Briar laughed and moved to cut her off again, but her blow was blocked by Agni, allowing Nina to skirt her mentor and reach her fallen comrade. 

”Humans are so stupidly sentimental,” Briar spat, “Especially you Assassins. How you’ve survived this long is quite beyond me.” 

Agni frowned, his arm trembling from the effort of holding his defensive stance, Briar’s blade scraping and sliding against his. “I have yet to have the pleasure of facing you,” he told Briar calmly, his face giving no indication of fear or weariness. The older Assassin seemed as unmovable and steady as the stone that surrounded them. 

”Then let me grant you the pleasure,” Briar growled, disengaging her blade and aiming a deadly slash at Agni’s throat. Moving faster than Briar thought possible for a human, he ducked under her blade and aimed a thrust of his own at her midsection. Growling to herself, Briar parried and leaped out of the way, green and gold hate-filled eyes darting about to make sure Sebastian wasn’t about to attack from a blind spot. This Assassin was different, more experienced and deadly. She’d have to focus and be more aggressively calculating to defeat both him and Sebastian. 

Briar twirled her sword, her gaze flickering back and forth between her two foes, the bottom of her stomach dropping slightly. The rush of energy from her recent meal had worn off, and while she was still stronger than before, the advantage had run its course. She had to end this fight, and end it fast. 

Agni and Sebastian’s moves were perfectly coordinated, Briar’s frown deepening as they pressed her back, nearly backing her into the cave wall. The demon let out a savage, unearthly howl and attempted to go on the offensive with a burst of effort. Sebastian gracefully leaped and flipped out of range, Agni’s retreat clumsier but just as effective. 

A slight red flush touched her cheeks, the only physical sign of her weariness. This contest’s end was nigh, and if she was not to be the victor, then there would be no victors at all. An otherworldly growl rumbled in her chest like thunder, dents appearing in the handle of her sword from the force of her grip. A manic glint appeared in her eye through the cracks in her once flawless composure. “This is your last fight,” she grunted under her breath. “Make. It. Count.” 

The most obvious sign of Briar’s exhaustion was the fact she hadn’t noticed Ciel not four feet behind her, clinging to the shadows like a lifeline. A determined, glaring frown was plastered to his face, his hands clenched into fists. He had to do something. The longer he watched, the angrier he became. Undertaker, Briar, and their Templar underlings had dared trying to depose him, had the utter audacity to make a move into his territory: he was the Earl Ciel Phantomhive, he would _not_ stand idly by while his fate was decided for him. 

Remembering what Nina had taught him when they first met, seemingly a lifetime ago, he flicked his wrist and the hidden blade sprang out of the bracer on his arm. The little earl was sure the sound of the mechanism would alert Briar of his position, but she was too focused on the maddening conundrum that was Agni and Sebastian. 

The butler, however, had a wider range of focus, and his eyes shifted to the source of the minute sound. His grip on his knives tightened as he thought to himself, _You never cease to amuse me, my young lord._

Ciel drew his arm back and shoved the blade as far as he could into Briar’s back. 

The unexpected blow both shocked and enraged the demon, the pain made worse by anger but the damage was comparable to that of a bee sting. She turned swiftly and fixed Ciel with a look of such hatred and rage that would have cowed just about anyone else before backhanding him across the face. Ciel didn’t cry out in pain until a stalagmite halted his body’s motion, and even then it was choked down with a desire not to be seen as weak. He had heard something snap when he landed, and his eyes frantically looked for the source, hoping it wasn’t one of his bones. As he ran cautious hands over his body looking for injuries beyond his pounding head, his thumb caught the edge of something sharp on his opposite wrist. He flinched and hissed, bringing the offending appendage close to his eye for inspection. 

It wasn’t a bone that had broken, but the hidden blade: the blade itself had been snapped in two, leaving a jagged edge still attached to the bracer. Ciel huffed and undid the buckles with slightly trembling fingers, the leather bracer falling to the cave floor. It had served him well, just as the Assassins themselves had served him in leading him to the mastermind of this attempted coup. The young earl tried to stand, bracing a hand on the cave wall as a sharp wave of pain made its way down his spine. A choked groan forced its way out of his throat; it seemed Briar’s blow and his impact against the stone had done more damage than he thought. He sank back to the floor, leaning against a stalagmite and taking a few deep breaths. 

”Master!” Sebastian had cried out, reaching for his lord as he had gone sailing through the air across the cave. Red hot rage licked his insides: this fight was over, and it was the absolute last time this demon would lay her hands on his prey, on his master. 

Briar had turned her back to her two opponents with the momentum of the blow she had struck to Ciel. It was to be a fatal mistake. In one perfectly coordinated move, both Sebastian and Agni lunged forward and drove their blades into her back, the point of Agni’s sword going all the way through her torso and poking out her chest. 

The demon screamed, a sound filled with horrific agony as her eyes went wide and she dropped her sword, black clawed hands swiping at the wounds in her back. Leaving his knife and Agni’s sword embedded in her flesh, Sebastian used both hands to hold her wrists in an iron grip, pushing her to her knees in defeat and submission. Blood poured out of her wounds, staining the stone floor so heavily and dark it looked black. After a moment of enraged struggling, her entire form slumped, head hanging in resignation and stray wisps of hair tickling her cheeks. Her last fight had finally come to an end. 

The same slow, mocking applause that had announced the end of their first bout greeted Sebastian and Briar and the end of their second. As he surveyed the cave, taking in Sebastian and Agni with their defeated foe, Ciel’s exhausted and pained form leaning against the wall, Lau’s corpse, and Nina kneeling beside Soma helping him to sit and bandage his wounds, Undertaker’s smile kept growing and eventually he was doubled over with mirth. 

”It may have taken a while to get here,” he said between hiccuping laughs, “But it was worth every moment!” He straightened up with a sigh and pushed a lock of hair out of his face, gathering his composure as if it were a cloak to be draped over his shoulders. 

”I sincerely thank you for making this very entertaining,” he said to Sebastian with a sly smirk, the slightest hint of sarcasm in his smooth baritone. “But sadly, both your part and the little earl’s is over.” A pause. “However, I would be much obliged butler, if you could continue to hold on to Miss Briar, just for a few moments.” 

Sebastian frowned, but did as Undertaker asked, tightening his grip on her wrists. A small grunt slipped out of her mouth as she squirmed, trying to at least make herself comfortable if she couldn’t get away. 

Slowly, as if savoring the moment like a good wine, Undertaker unsheathed the scythe that he carried on his back, the blade shining like moonlight under water in the blue glow of the cave. He held the weapon at his side, the blade scraping along the cave floor and leaving a small indent. 

“All those years,” he murmured softly, slowly approaching her like a predator stalking its prey, “Running and hiding and fighting. All that time you thought you were doomed to a purgatory on earth… Let it end.” 

Time seemed to stand still. Ciel’s eyes widened as he pieced together what was about to happen mere seconds before it occurred. Lifting the scythe as if it weighed no more than a wooden staff, Undertaker reared his arms back, and with one mighty swing, cleaved Briar’s chest almost in two. 

Blood gushed out of the massive wound, her green and gold eyes wide with fear and pain, but also relief. The Assassins were just as shocked; Nina actually screamed, choking the sound down before it could become a long, drawn out wail of despair. The sound turned to wonder and surprise as white ribbons burst out of the wound along with Briar’s blood, flickering like a candle in the wind. They writhed and twisted in the air almost to the roof of the cave, a grotesque flower blooming from the demon’s chest. 

”Her cinematic record,” Sebastian murmured, his eyes narrowing to get a closer look. 

~~~

_London, 1662. The bedroom of a small house in northern London. A mother’s scream split the night, just before the first gurgling cries of a newborn danced on the wind. Anne Elmstone heaved and gasped for breath, her hands already reaching out to the midwife for her child._

_”It’s a girl,” the woman told her with a watery smile, gently passing the infant over. Seconds later, Thomas Elmstone burst through the door, having heard the infant’s cries. “Is everything alright?” he asked quickly, his words tripping over each other on their way out. “Anne, how are you? How’s the baby?”_

_Anne laughed despite the residual pain she was still in from the birth. “We are both fine.” The baby continued to cry, ceasing only when Anne offered her breast and the child began to suckle greedily. “Our daughter is just fine,” she murmured, watching her child in wonder._

_”A daughter…” Thomas repeated in a breathless whisper, the corners of his eyes crinkling from his wide smile. “What should we call her?”_

_Anne looked out the window to the flowers blooming on the ledge, some wildflowers picked from the fields a few hours away, and a red rose Thomas had brought her from the market. “Rose,” she murmured. “Rose Elmstone. Our beautiful, wonderful daughter.”_

_Once she was done feeding, Rose yawned and smiled at her mother, slowly revealing her unexpectedly green and gold eyes. Anne’s smile faded, instantly replaced with a worried frown._

_”Thomas, look at her eyes,” she half whispered. Thomas rushed to his wife’s side, peering over her shoulder to get a better look._

_”Good God…” was his murmured reply. Her mismatched eyes pierced him to the core, filling his heart with worry and fear. “It must be an omen.” He sighed. “Barely hours old and already I fear for her. She’ll be an outcast, a target.”_

_”Then it is our job to protect her,” Anne replied, holding her daughter with one hand and squeezing her husband’s with the other. Her voice was soft, but not lacking in strength or conviction. “We are her mother and father, it is up to us to be her safe refuge in this world. When others are cruel, we must be kind, and we will love her no matter what. Because she is our daughter.” Thomas nodded, taking a deep, steadying breath._

_”Our daughter…” he murmured, a smile touching his face once again as Rose fell asleep in her mother’s arms._

_~~~~~_

__

_London, September 1666. The Elmstone residence._

__

_Or rather, what was left of it._

__

_A great fire had ravaged the city, leaving most of London in ashy ruin. This latest tragedy had come on the heels of last year’s plague, which Anne had barely survived. Even almost a year later she still seemed weak and haggard. Eyes flickering across the remains of the ruined city, Anne and Thomas could still smell the smoldering wood, the charred flesh of those not fortunate enough to escape. Every time they closed their eyes, walls of red flames danced behind the lids and smoke once again filled their lungs._

__

_Rose stood next to her parents, holding a small canvas sack of her meager belongings, all three staring despondently at the remains of their home. Ash and grime covered them like a second skin, despite Thomas’ best efforts to retain some level of cleanliness for the sake of his wife and daughter._

__

_“What now?” Rose asked her father in a small voice, reaching out to take his hand. Instead of answering, Thomas lifted his small daughter and held her in his arms. Her green and gold eyes sparkled almost unnaturally as they observed the carnage, making the four year old girl seem as if she carried the weight of years on her tiny shoulders._

__

_With one last collective sigh, the family turned their backs on their old life and began walking to a church that had somehow survived the blaze and was now serving as a shelter for those who had lost their homes until they could rebuild or find somewhere else to live. “Papa,” Rose began in a small voice, staring at the stones beneath her father’s feet rather than his face, “I had the nightmare again.”_

__

_”Which one, sweetheart?” he asked softly, readjusting how he carried her. His heart ached for his daughter; she had already been afflicted with night terrors before the fire, he could only imagine how much worse they had become. He’d never admit it, but the night after night of Rose screaming in her sleep and suddenly waking in tears were beginning to take their toll on both him and his wife._

__

_”The one about the lost city,” she murmured. “This time a lady put a knife in me, but it didn’t hurt. It just felt strange, like I knew her.”_

__

_”Did she have a name?” Thomas asked._

__

_”I think it was Bruno, or Juno maybe? I don’t remember. But I think she loved me, she kept saying she was sorry and that I would always be a part of her.” Anne and Thomas exchanged nervous looks before glancing behind them, a feeling they were being watched sinking deep into their stomachs._

__

__

_~~~~~_

__

_  
___  
  
  


_A small village just outside London, September 1682._

____

_Now a young woman working as a seamstress, Rose lay on her back in the grass on a hill overlooking her village. The cool September breeze coaxed goosebumps to the surface of her skin as her mismatched eyes scanned the appearing stars. A few days ago, a brilliant white comet had streaked across the sky, its tail sparkling like snow against the deep navy of the night. The rest of her village, her parents included, had been filled with fear, wondering what other horrors would befall their lives. Many still remembered the plague and great fire from almost two decades ago, and would have been quite content to not live through another tragedy._

____

_Rose on the other hand, had observed it in wonder. What kind of star moved across the sky, leaving a trail of white dust in its wake? Where did it come from? What did it mean? Was it as natural as thunder in the summer or was it something more?_

____

_As night fell, Rose wrapped her shawl around her arms, fighting a shiver. The stars appeared one by one, but not her elusive comet. The breeze grew colder, and Rose finally conceded that it would not appear this night. At any rate, it was getting far too cold to stay outside and wait._

____

_With a sigh, she stood and brushed the loose dirt from her skirts, wrapping her shawl more securely around her torso before starting back home, her feet swishing through the grass. The lights from the windows of her village looked like tiny suns, guiding her way back home. There would be a warm fire in the hearth, Father working on his wood carvings while Mother made dinner. Her night terrors had gradually disappeared as she grew older, and while they still sometimes haunted her, Anne and Thomas were grateful that the nights of wailing in terror were few and far between._

____

_Rose hummed softly as she walked down the well-tread road to her home, small puffs of dirt rising with every step. It had been an unusually dry September, and her most recent days had been spent helping her parents bring in and prepare the harvest for winter before all the crops dried out in the field._

____

_A shout came from the village square, quickly crescendoing into a cacophony of roars. Rose could see the light from torches flicker into existence, and a knot of dread settled into her stomach. Whatever was whipping the villagers into a frenzy, it couldn’t be good._

____

_She broke into a run, tripping over some of the stones still in the path. Worry and fear bubbled in her chest; if this got any more out of hand, someone was going to end up hurt, or killed._

____

_Rose sprinted the rest of the way, catching up with the group of twenty or so people and skirting around them. They seemed to be making a direct line to her home. Dashing towards her house, Rose glanced behind her at the crowd and saw bright red crosses gleaming on their lapels._

____

_”Templars,” she muttered to herself, pausing to wonder how she knew that’s who these men were. Rose beat the small mob to her house, but only just. “Mother, Father!” she cried out as she burst through the door. “There’s a mob,” she told them desperately, her parents meeting her in the doorway. “They have red crosses, the Templars, why are they here-”_

____

_Her parents exchanged worried, dread-filled glances. So this day had come at last. They had finally been found. Thomas placed a hand on his daughter’s shoulder and urgently whispered, “They’re here for you, Rose. You mustn’t let them find you.”_

____

_”But why?” she pleaded, jumping out of her skin at the harsh banging on the front door followed by the shouted order to let the group in._

____

_”You are special, my daughter,” her mother replied, taking her daughter’s hands in her own. “Your blood carries something they desperately want, a way to almost unlimited power. You are the link to the first civilization, a link they must never have if we want the world to remain free.”_

____

_”What are you talking about?” Rose asked desperately, tears filling her eyes as the banging on the door became more insistent. “How do you know all this?”_

____

_”We asked questions,” Thomas replied with a sad, somewhat bashful smile. “Possibly too many questions. Eventually we found answers, answers that put our entire family in danger.” He paused, ignoring the shouting just beyond the walls of their home. “You are what is called a Sage. Not quite human, but human and something else. It’s this something else the Templars want to use you for, to gain control of the entire world.”_

____

_”But they’re not the only ones searching for you, and others like you,” Anne added hurriedly. “The Assassins will also hunt you and try to kill you, if only to keep the secrets of your blood from the Templars.” Her grip moved from her daughter’s hands to her upper arms, a mother’s eyes pleading with her daughter. “You mustn’t let them find you. You are not just a Sage, you are Rose Elmstone. You are your own person and so much more than your blood.”_

____

_Before Anne could impart any more motherly wisdom, the door was knocked clean off its hinges to reveal the angry mob waiting outside. “We’re looking for Rose Elmstone!” a large, bald man from the front of the group roared into the home._

____

_Thomas stepped protectively in front of his daughter and shot back, “Whatever for? She’s done nothing wrong! You have no business here! Take your men and leave!”_

____

_”The Grand Master desires her above all else,” the bald man responded with a sick, twisted smile. “And we have permission to obtain her by any means necessary.” A meaty hand reached for Thomas and grabbed his wrist, yanking him off his feet, out the door, and into the waiting mob. They restrained him forcefully, yelling and hollering as they tightly held his arms behind his back._

____

_Anne was dragged out behind him by her hair, stumbling along behind her captor. Two more men had cornered Rose in the house like a wild animal. Her hands were out in front of her, trying to create some distance between herself and the Templars. Knives were aimed at her midsection, and lecherous gazes at her breasts._

____

_”Please don’t hurt my parents,” she begged softly, tears dripping down her cheeks as her heart raced in her chest. “They’re good people, they only wanted to give their child a good life-”_

____

_”It ain’t your parents’ fault, you stupid girl,” the man on the left snarled, a lanky fellow with the lower half of his face covered by a mask. If Rose closed her eyes, he almost sounded like the blacksmith they went to see in London when Father needed tools repaired. “It’s just who you are. Destined to be hunted across all of your lifetimes. Now your folks over there seem like awful nice people, so just step outside and we won’t have to hurt them.”_

____

_Rose’s breath caught in her chest and she found herself taking a step forward without even thinking. Of course, anything to save her parents._

____

_”Don’t listen to him Rose-!” Her father’s desperate warning was cut off by a swift blow to his stomach, leaving him hunched over and gasping for air. Two more steps and she was standing in the doorframe._

____

_“Father! Don’t hurt him, you monsters! I’ll-” the wind and spirit seemed to flow out of her, like air from a deflated balloon. “I’ll come with you. Just let them go.”_

____

_”I’m terribly sorry,” came a smoothly accented voice from the back of the group, “But I’m afraid that will not be possible.” The crowd parted like a river meeting a stone, and a single man strode through the gap. He wore the vestments of a city official, in addition to a bright red cross on his lapel. “I’m afraid we cannot leave you with any attachments whatsoever, lest you be tempted to leave our company without our permission.” A pause. “Kill them.”_

____

_Rose’s screams of terror, anger, and anguish were drowned out by the victorious roars of the bloodthirsty Templars. She could barely hear the last words of her parents as her arms were restrained and their lives were snuffed out before her eyes. The young woman dropped to her knees, doubling over with her nose mere breaths from the ground. She could see the blood of her parents soaking into the earth, the mounds of their corpses rising up from the ground._

____

_Anger bubbled inside her, red hot rage in the pit of her stomach becoming a volcano ready to blow its top and leave a smoking crater in its wake. The two men restraining her hoisted Rose to her feet, frog marching her to the city official. He did a double take when he glanced into her eyes, averting his gaze from the swimming green and gold orbs filled with hatred._

____

_”I’m truly sorry,” he said gruffly, not sounding sorry in the slightest, “But it had to be done, I’m sure you understand.” Every breath burned Rose’s lungs as it went in and out. Suddenly, she exploded, roaring her rage as she struggled against her captors._

____

_”I’LL SEE YOU IN HELL, AND SEND YOU THERE MYSELF!”_

____

_With a strength she didn’t know she possessed, Rose yanked her arms free and tackled the city official, clawing and scratching at every inch of his face she could reach. The magistrate screamed, trying in vain to shove her off, but she clung to him like a leech, her blood-spattered nails still mauling him._

____

_”Help me, you fools!” he yelled, turning his head to keep her nails from his eyes. A Templar armed with a knife hesitated for a second before driving his blade into Rose’s back._

____

_Rose screamed, her back arching from the pain that sapped her strength in a single moment. The magistrate was able to scramble out from under her and shakily get to his feet, rivulets of blood from dozens of deep scratches running down his face. Huffing in disgust and contempt, he pulled a handkerchief out of his sleeve and slowly wiped the blood off, glaring at the now weakly struggling young woman laying face down on the ground, a slowly widening bloodstain spreading from the wound in her back._

____

_”Pick her up. And don’t let her die. She’s no use to us as a corpse.” Without a hint of care, two men hoisted her up, carrying her by the armpits like a rag doll. A third pressed a rag to the still bleeding wound on her back, trying to stem the flow of blood as they brought her back to the city._

____

__

____

_~~~~~Rose~~~~~_

____

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_It was dark. So dark. Just like the night the comet came. I suppose it was an omen after all. I couldn’t move. I was floating, as if in a lake. The blackness caressed me like silk, but I knew in my heart that this dark bliss was a lie._

_____ _

_I could hear voices, cackling laughter. Demonic, maniacal laughter. Like they knew a sort of dark secret. The darkness burned my eyes, as if I had opened them in a river of blood. It burned my nails, staining them black. Hands, everywhere, pain everywhere, burning me alive, burning me dead, burning me alive again. I could feel myself becoming something else, but what I was I couldn’t entirely say._

_____ _

_”What’s happening?” I called desperately into the black, the sound of my voice echoing back at me. “Where am I?”_

_____ _

_”Where do you think?” came a dulcet whisper, words without a face to make them. “You told those men you’d see them in hell. We’re waiting for them to join us.” A pause. “You didn’t stand a chance on your own. But now you do.”_

_____ _

_”Wh-what am I?”_

_____ _

_A dark chuckle in that same whisper. “A demon, my dear. A creature of darkness that feeds on human souls, whether by force or contract. Bring those men to us. Send them to hell…”_

_____ _

_And now my mind was burning too, rapidly being filled with knowledge that came in visions, like the night terrors from when I was a child, night terrors that seemed to be from another life. I cried, black tears staining my face like soot. I could feel them burning through the skin to my skull. “Bring them to usss…”_

_____ _

_And suddenly, I was no longer being held in blackness. I was in a stone cell, I think it was the one where the Templars had been holding me for… for as far back as I could remember. My life before them seemed but a dream. Carefully, I stood, my limbs feeling stronger than I felt they had any right to be, after being held in starvation and torment. If I was really an all powerful hell-spawn, I should be able to escape, right?_

_____ _

_This was the first correct guess of many in my first years as a demon. After I left the cell, walking through the tall grass to freedom and eternity, a large snake crossed my path. It reared its head, and I could see my reflection in its eyes. I no longer looked human, rather a tall shapeless form of blackness, writhing and twisting under the new moon, scarlet eyes glowing in the dark. At another correct guess, I concentrated on how I had appeared when I was a human, a lovely young woman in her prime. My visage shifted to the form I remembered, green and gold eyes reflected back at me instead of scarlet._

_____ _

_Once I had changed, the snake lowered its head, as if bowing, before slithering back into the bushes. I stood and thought in the stillness of the night: those Templars were still out there. I had revenge to take, and much to learn about this second life that had been thrust upon me, about this new creature I had become._

_____ _

____

_____ _

_~~~~~_

_____ _

_  
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_It took Rose the better part of a year to achieve her revenge. Every Templar she killed led her to two more, until she finally found the official who had led the mob to her home. With every death, she feasted on their souls, learning how the character of a person influenced the flavor of their soul. She learned the extent of her demonic abilities, refining her control. She researched the lore of her species, everything from Dante to the Bible._

______ _ _

_When the light had finally faded from the last Templar’s eyes, Rose was hit with the truth of what she was with the force of a hurricane: a demon, and a Sage. A reincarnated Isu now condemned to live forever._

______ _ _

_As she stalked the darkened London streets, lost in her thoughts, a black snake crossed her path. It paused and gave her what she thought was an approving look before slithering into the darkened alley across the street. She remembered seeing a very similar snake the night she had fled the Templars, if not the same snake._

______ _ _

_Rose recalled a line from_ Macbeth: _“Look the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.”_

______ _ _

_”I am no longer an innocent flower,” she murmured to herself, her true demonic form seeping out of her skin into the night, “I am the serpent. I am a vine. Winding, tough, covered in poisonous thorns…” The name Rose no longer seemed right. But every rose was covered in thorns, which remained even when the bloom was gone forever._

______ _ _

_”Briar.” Speaking the word was like the speaking of a covenant, a promise of who she would be from this night forward. “I am Briar Elmstone.”_

______ _ _

______

_____ _

_~~~~~_

_____ _

_  
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_1689, the English Channel._

_______ _ _ _

_Armed with nothing but her wits, her powers, her name, and a small knife, Briar had boarded a ship crossing the channel to France. It was time to put London, England, and her old life behind her. A being of the night, death incarnate, with an eternity and an entire world at her fingertips. Truly, there was no better combination._

_______ _ _ _

_Over the decades, her travels took her to France, Spain, the Middle East, down the entire Silk Road to the orient and back. Along the way, her mind absorbed history, lore, and every text about war and combat she could get her hands on like a sponge. She spoke with generals and philosophers, charming or threatening her way into their circles with a single scarlet look. She learned everything she could about the Assassins and Templars who had chased her across continents, killing members of both brotherhoods without discrimination. If they all wanted to hunt her, they would all learn just how quickly the predator could become the prey. Every moment of her life held only the significance she gave it._

_______ _ _ _

_Gradually, she made her way to the Caribbean, then to the colonies in America. The Assassins and Templars had never stopped looking for her, but they were easier to avoid out in the frontier. She fought through parts of their revolution, subtly changing her form to resemble a man. The fighting made her feel alive, turned her blood to fire in her veins. It felt indescribably good, comparable to the rush after consuming a soul._

_______ _ _ _

_She fought through the American civil war, switching sides as it suited her fancy. She traversed the breadth of the continent, from New York to California and back again. The world seemed to be shrinking, or her knowledge was growing. Her pleasures were traveling and fighting, and she devoted herself to the pursuit of both, disposing of Assassins and Templars when they happened to cross her path._

_______ _ _ _

_After about a hundred and fifty years, her travels brought her back to England. Her ship made landfall in Dover, and she took her time walking the countryside to London. The city had changed in so many ways since she had been gone. It had spread like a stain from the oil that was beginning to power their machines. It bustled and hummed with life, hard working and grimy people along with sickly sweet smelling aristocrats. It took a few hours of wandering for Briar to realize that she had actually missed the city in all its beautiful, putrid glory._

_______ _ _ _

________

_____ _

_~~~~~_

_____ _

_  
_  
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_1887, the docks of the Thames._

________ _ _ _ _

_Briar had heard whispers from her last few meals that there was a growing Assassin and Templar presence in London, vying for control of the underworld. She had made that dark, seedy underbelly her home for the time being, and was becoming rather irritated with the increasing threat._

________ _ _ _ _

_Frowning, she turned down an alley leading into the city, following the soft but distinct scent of opium. She had been told to find a trader named Lau, and that he would be able to help her eliminate the threat. It was a seemingly insignificant matter but her nerves were being stretched to the breaking point. She had experienced just about all a demonic life had to offer, and was looking for something else to give significance to. Or an end. Whichever came first, she wasn’t especially picky._

________ _ _ _ _

_When she opened the door to the opium den, she could see through the haze that it was empty, save for two men: one with dark hair and distinctly Asian features, who she assumed was Lau, and a taller man with silver hair in a top hat. He smelled… different. Not like an ordinary human, but not like a demon. It was familiar as well. Briar squinted as she tried to recall where she had smelled it last._

________ _ _ _ _

_Then it hit her. It was on a battlefield in the civil war. She had feasted on two souls and was looking for a third when she saw them in the distance, a tall lanky man with what looked like hedge clippers, bending over the bodies one by one and writing in a notebook. Every time he did this, the scent of human souls grew fainter. A phrase from a book she had read stuck in her mind: a grim reaper. So this reaper, this unusually powerful reaper, must be working with Lau. Her dessert hadn’t mentioned a reaper. This could turn to her advantage, or become a rather large nuisance._

________ _ _ _ _

_”Mr. Lau,” the reaper murmured, a cheshire grin spreading across his face and a chuckle bubbling in his chest. “You didn’t tell me THIS was who we were meeting.” The chuckle bounced through the opium haze. “It’s truly a pleasure to meet you, little Sage.”_

________ _ _ _ _

_Dread settled in her stomach. How the hell did he know who she was? He must have been able to tell she was a demon, but a Sage as well? Then she remembered, she hadn’t exactly been hiding her distinctive eyes. Or maybe he could smell what she was, the same way she could smell him._

________ _ _ _ _

_”Just who are you?” she demanded, cocking one hip with more confidence than she felt. “I guess it doesn’t matter, as long as you can help me reach my goal.”_

________ _ _ _ _

_”As I’m sure you’re aware,” the other man said in a deceptively smooth tone, “My name is Lau. This is my associate the Undertaker. I was told you were directed to us. How may we help you miss…?”_

________ _ _ _ _

_”Elmstone,” she grit out. “Briar Elmstone.” The man called Undertaker withdrew a small notebook from his long black coat and flipped a few pages, muttering to himself. “Elmstone, Elmstone… Ah, Rose Elmstone, I’m guessing that’s you.” The page he had opened to was marked with a bright green ribbon. Briar could see a small bust portrait of herself, along with a full page of notes scrawled in tiny handwriting._

________ _ _ _ _

_”Oh dear,” he murmured, his grin shrinking just a bit. “This is most troubling. Your soul is… stuck.” Briar’s frown deepened. Undertaker continued, “You’re not supposed to be here, not as you are at any rate.”_

________ _ _ _ _

_That day in the opium den, Undertaker and Lau offered her what seemed too good to be true: a meal, a fight, and an end. She would form a contract with Lau and do his and Undertaker’s bidding. In return, she would eat Lau’s soul, and Undertaker would end her soul’s existence, for the time being. Everyone got what they wanted. Briar’s only other demand was to make it worth her while; rewarding, entertaining, significant._

________ _ _ _ _

_Briar burned her sigil into Lau’s skin, and when the pain had subsided, he serenely stood upright and crossed his arms. “Now then…” he whispered. “Let us begin.”_

________ _ _ _ _

__________

_____ _

~~~~~

_____ _

_  
_  
_  
_   
_   
_

The record ended, the white ribbons shrinking back into her chest and removing their glow from the cave. A shimmering sphere of light rose from her chest as the life left her eyes, a soft breath leaving her lungs and the slightest hint of a smile touching her face. A moment later, Briar Elmstone was dead. 

________ _ _ _ _

Sebastian let her corpse fall to the ground and brushed his hands before darting over to Ciel, cautious hands easing him into a sitting position. “Are you alright, my lord?” 

________ _ _ _ _

”I’m fine,” he grit out, grimacing in pain. “At least this is over, and I won’t have to deal with some secret society daring to think they can encroach on my territory.” 

________ _ _ _ _

While Sebastian checked on his master, Nina was finally able to help Soma stand. The young Assassin had an arm around his comrade’s shoulder, leaning heavily on her as they inched their way towards Sebastian. Agni however approached Briar’s still form, crouching by her head. He murmured, “Requiescat in pace,” and gently closed her eyes. 

________ _ _ _ _

Bracing a hand on Sebastian, Ciel hauled himself to his feet, tired and hurting knees knocking together as he regained his balance. Once he was steady, he pushed Sebastian away from him. “I can stand on my own.” A pause. “So she’s dead… and what of the Undertaker?” 

________ _ _ _ _

His eyes darted around the cave, landing on Undertaker as he wrote a few more notes on Briar’s page before closing the notebook with a snap. “And that takes care of that,” the reaper murmured with a smile, returning his scythe to its sheath on his back. A giggle bubbled from his throat. “As always, little Phantomhive, it’s been a pleasure doing business with you.” He gave a little bow and turned toward the entrance of the cave, taking a few steps as if to leave. 

________ _ _ _ _

”Wait!” Ciel called after him, glaring angrily at his back. “What was it all for? Are there even any Templars? Just what exactly was the point of all this?!” 

________ _ _ _ _

Undertaker turned to face the earl and put a hand on his cocked hip, a stance reminiscent of Briar when she was being obstinate. His other hand withdrew his notebook and the spine fell open to Briar’s page. “Our friend Miss Elmstone here was a Sage. You do know what that is, don’t you?” 

________ _ _ _ _

Ciel’s frown deepened. “I know, a reincarnated soul of an Isu. But what does that have to do with it?” 

________ _ _ _ _

Undertaker laughed. “Everything, my little lord. Absolutely everything.” He paused, as if for dramatic effect. “You’re correct little earl, a reincarnated soul. A soul which us reapers have always paid special attention to. Most souls only do one or two turns in the human world. The soul of a Sage however only spends a brief time in the reapers’ custody before going back to earth. You probably couldn’t feel it, but the longer her soul stayed on earth, past a normal human lifespan, things began to fall out of balance. Isu sites like this one began to go haywire from how thin the soul was stretched.” He tugged on a thread from the hem of his sleeve, pulling it taut until it snapped. 

________ _ _ _ _

”Had her soul remained here much longer, whole corners of the earth might have collapsed, which would have been…” A slightly deranged smile touched his face. “Unfortunate.” 

________ _ _ _ _

”But I don’t understand,” Ciel shot back. “If all of this was to get her soul, why involve us? Were there even any Templars? Was the threat to the Underworld even real?” 

________ _ _ _ _

”It was her request,” Undertaker replied in a murmur, his smile spreading as he wagged a finger at Ciel. “A part of our deal. She had to do our jobs and make it entertaining for herself, and for us. And as expected, you and your butler along with those Assassins made it more entertaining than I could have ever hoped for!” 

________ _ _ _ _

”So then…” Nina began softly, “What happens to Briar? To her soul?” 

________ _ _ _ _

”Besides,” Ciel continued with a quirked brow and crossed arms, “I thought demons didn’t have souls.” A pointed glance at his butler. “What makes a Sage’s soul so special?” 

________ _ _ _ _

Undertaker laughed, a bone-chilling sound that echoed and rebounded through the cave until it settled in Ciel’s core. “Far too many secrets you’d never understand, my darling earl. Suffice to say that each Sage is charged with a sacred task, engraved in their very bones: to resurrect Juno, the one who killed the first Sage.” He thoughtfully tapped his chin. “Who just so happened to be her husband. It’s funny how that works.” A pause. “Our dear Miss Elmstone clearly didn’t care about Juno, but oh well. Perhaps the next Sage will be the one to do it.” 

________ _ _ _ _

”What happens then?” Ciel ground out, asking the question before his nerve left him, “When Juno is set free.” 

________ _ _ _ _

Undertaker laughed again, this time low in his chest, sinister and foreboding. “Can’t say I’m sure.” A manic, knowing smile. “But I’m sure it will be interesting.” He leaned in uncomfortably close to Ciel, the boy flinching back slightly. Sebastian tensed as Undertaker’s hands came up, ready to protect his master, but the reaper merely tied Ciel’s eyepatch at the back of his head with long, bony fingers. “If you and your butler are still around, I’m sure it will be _very_ interesting.” He casually adjusted his top hat and strode out of the cave, calling over his shoulder as he left, “Many thanks again for making this worthwhile.” 

________ _ _ _ _

__________

_____ _

~~~~~

_____ _

_  
_  
_  
_   
_   
_

Ciel, Sebastian, and the Assassins left the Isu temple together, the earl and his butler heading for the townhouse while the Assassins returned to their hideout. Ciel was more banged up than he realized, which Sebastian discovered as he undressed him for a bath: the little lord’s back was mottled with bruises of blue, purple, and yellow from hitting the cave wall, and the flesh above his cheekbone was swelling where Briar had backhanded him. As Sebastian moved about the washroom with measured steps and bathed the earl with more cautious hands than usual, Ciel noticed his butler’s marble complexion seemed even paler than usual, and were those the hints of dark circles under his eyes? Fighting Briar must have taken more out of the demon than he thought. 

________ _ _ _ _

The bath was finished in silence. As Sebastian pulled the clean nightshirt over Ciel’s head, the earl said, “Send a note to the Assassins, ask them to tea tomorrow afternoon. I’d like to get this affair over with and return home. I’m sick of London.” 

________ _ _ _ _

”As you wish, my lord.” 

________ _ _ _ _

Ciel slept better that night than he had in months; it was a relief for this tedious affair to be over with. When he woke the next morning, his entire body ached in protest, the bruises on his back turning a sickly shade of green. After once again being carefully attended to by his butler, the earl spent the morning in the library trying to distract himself with various books, but his mind was far afield. Even with the Undertaker’s answers to his questions, the path forward was clouded. Knowing what he now knew, how much could he trust him? To be fair, Undertaker had manipulated them the same way Ciel used his own pawns, which he supposed was to be expected. 

________ _ _ _ _

When afternoon tea time came, Sebastian showed Nina, Agni, and Soma into the parlor, where they sat somewhat uncomfortably around the table. Sebastian served them tea and buttery biscuits before taking his place behind Ciel’s chair. After a moment of quiet sipping, Nina asked with a knowing smirk, “I trust the matter was resolved to your satisfaction, my lord?” 

________ _ _ _ _

”Yes, I suppose so,” the earl replied, “It was awfully tedious going to the trouble of ferreting out and stopping a coup that didn’t even exist.” 

________ _ _ _ _

”And since it’s over…” Nina’s smirk turned into a manic smile. “You’ll have time to be fitted for your Easter outfit and summer wardrobe!” 

________ _ _ _ _

Sebastian frowned. “Rest assured, Miss Hopkins,” he said as if both placating and scolding a small child, “We will be in touch about the master’s wardrobe.” 

________ _ _ _ _

Nina seemed to deflate slightly. “Oh very well. Must you always be such a wet blanket, butler hard head?” 

________ _ _ _ _

Agni cleared his throat before Sebastian could bite out a retort. “Lord Phantomhive,” the elder Assassin began, “Even if the threat was imaginary, we are very grateful for your help, and Sebastian’s as well. There’s hope for our brotherhood.” A pause. “My lord, we would be honored if you were to join our ranks, continue your work as guardian of the underworld with the strength of the Assassins beside you.” 

________ _ _ _ _

”No.” Ciel’s answer was immediate and sharply bitten out. Agni’s offer had caught him by surprise, but he wasn’t about to let them see that. “It is a fine offer but I cannot accept.” His ice cold blue gaze met Agni’s. “We may work toward similar goals but we are nothing alike. What is your brotherhood’s phrase, ‘we work in the dark to serve the light’?” He placed his teacup on the table and rested folded hands in his lap. “We may both operate in the underworld but your place is in the shadows at the surface. Mine is in the filth and decay, in the darkest pits of England. There is no light to be found where I work, only darkness.” 

________ _ _ _ _

Sebastian smirked; the young lord never ceased to interest him. 

________ _ _ _ _

Agni nodded and sat back in his chair with downcast eyes. He was clearly disappointed. “I understand. I had hoped you would agree, but I see why you feel you cannot.” He took a deep, calming breath. “However, the offer always stands. If you should find yourself in need of assistance, my Assassins and I are always willing to lend a hand.” 

________ _ _ _ _

”I’ll be sure to remember that,” Ciel replied with a smile that seemed polite on the surface, but was merely a pleasantry he knew he was to observe as a hosting earl. The words came from nowhere near his heart; merely an acknowledgement that three more pawns had offered themselves up to be used. 

________ _ _ _ _

An uneasy silence settled over the room. After taking a final sip of tea, Agni rose to his feet, Nina and Soma following suit. “Thank you for the tea, my lord,” he said with a slight bow, a hand over his heart. “I wish you well, both of you. And many thanks again for your help. If I may offer some advice…” Agni easily held Ciel’s icy stare, his eyes shining with fierce determination. “I am sure you are well aware, my lord, there is no going back. For better or worse, you are part of our little corner of the underworld, as we are now part of yours. Remember that in your dealings.” He bowed again with a small, knowing smile, ignoring Ciel’s frown. 

________ _ _ _ _

Once Sebastian had seen them out, he returned to the parlor, where Ciel was finishing off his cup of tea and the last biscuit. “We shall head back tomorrow,” he told his butler, setting the teacup and saucer back on the table. “I’d be perfectly happy not to see London for at least a year.” 

________ _ _ _ _

”Agreed sir, however I do not think we will be so lucky. Business in the underworld has a habit of drawing you back in.” 

________ _ _ _ _

”Unfortunately, you are right.” Ciel rose from his chair and brushed past Sebastian. “Make preparations to leave immediately after breakfast tomorrow. Hopefully the manor will still be standing.” He paused in the doorway, hands gently clasped behind his back. The bruises mottling his skin throbbed softly in time with his pulse. “Agni’s statement was redundant but also true. There is no going back. It will soon pass through the underworld that the Assassins and the house of Phantomhive are allies, if only in the loosest sense. And there will be in-fighting to fill the void left by Lau.” A pause, a hardened, lowered voice. “The pieces are moving in a way I had not anticipated. This may very well prove beneficial to my revenge.” 

________ _ _ _ _

That earned a small chuckle from the demon. “Of course, my lord. What is it the Assassin’s say?” His eyes glowed scarlet, focusing on the scent of Ciel’s soul. How it shifted, changed, moved and bubbled like the ingredients of a carefully curated pot of stew. Oh yes. This soul will be well worth the wait. 

________ _ _ _ _

”They say that nothing is true, and everything is permitted.” 

________ _ _ _ _

__________

_____ _

~ ~ ~ ~ ~THE END~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are, the grand finale! It's about two chapters made into one, kind of like the finale of Avatar the Last Airbender. This fic has been so much fun to write, and I think it's fitting to post the last chapter on the eve of the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. 
> 
> To everyone who has stuck with this story, thank you so much for taking the time to read it and explore these characters with me. And many many thanks to Chrome who beta-ed literally this entire fic. It means more to me than I can ever say. 
> 
> Kudos and comments keep me motivated, or come send a message or two on my tumblr, AralezInSpace. I want to know what you think!!
> 
> As for what's next, I'm working on a Suspiria/Phantom of the Opera ballet slow burn, hopefully the first chapter will be posted in the next few weeks. Again, thank you all so much for coming along on this journey where nothing is true, everything is permitted, and that courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying "I will try again tomorrow."


End file.
